, had left the country.
Satterlee Morgan danced till all the platforms in town gave way. John
Lefever attended the groom, and Duke Morgan sternly, but without
compunction, gave the bride. From Medicine Bend, Farrell Kennedy
brought a notable company of de Spain's early associates for the
event. It included Whispering Smith, whose visit to Sleepy Cat on this
occasion was the first in years; George McCloud, who had come all the
way from Omaha to join his early comrades in arms; Wickwire, who had
lost none of his taciturn bluntness--and so many train-despatchers
that the service on the division was crippled for the entire day.

A great company of self-appointed retainers gathered together from
over all the country, rode behind the gayly decorated bridal-coach in
procession from the church to Jeffries's house, where the feasts had
been prepared. During the reception a modest man, dragged from an
obscure corner among the guests, was made to take his place next
Lefever on the receiving-line. It was Bob Scott, and he looked most
uncomfortable until he found a chance to slip unobserved back to the
side of the room where the distinguished Medicine Bend contingent,
together with McAlpin, Pardaloe, Elpaso, and Bull Page, slightly
unsteady, but extremely serious for the grave occasion, appeared
vastly uncomfortable together.

* * * * *

The railroad has not yet been built across the Sinks to Thief River.
But only those who lived in Sleepy Cat in its really wild stage days
are entitled to call themselves early settlers, or to tell stories
more or less authentic about what then happened. The greater number of
the Old Guard of that day, as cankering peace gradually reasserted
itself along the Sinks, turned from the stage coach to the railroad
coach; some of them may yet be met on the trains in the mountain
country. Wherever you happen to find such a one, he will tell you of
the days when Superintendent de Spain of the Western Division wore a
gun in the mountains and used it, when necessary, on his wife's
relations.

Whether it was this stern sense of discipline or not that endeared him
to the men, these old-timers are, to a man, very loyal to the young
couple who united in their marriage the two hostile mountain elements.
One in especial, a white-haired old man, described by the fanciful as
a retired outlaw, living yet on Nan's ranch in the Gap, always spends
his time in town at the de Sp