r, on this federal road, but it's not all
federal road, and the last fifteen miles will take a lot of good luck
and fully two hours to make the grade. I would like to get home in
daylight."

The general direction of the national roadway, was west. The traffic
to and from Cheyenne at this noon hour was not heavy. Tourists were
still touring, notwithstanding the fact that this section of the
country might be snowed under at any time; truckloads of livestock,
were encountered, and far down the highway, where the traffic thinned
down, the partners met a big band of sheep that required care and
diplomacy in passing. Presently, Welborn turned the car into a
driveway at a neat farm home.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Yes, I am always hungry, although I had breakfast somewhere this side
of Julesburg."

"Well, I arranged for dinner here, and we will also stock up on gas
and oil for the long trek. Of course I carry an extra five gallons in
the can on the running board, but this is about our last place to
stock up on eats."

A woman came to the door. "You are right on time," she said. "I hope
you have brought your appetites, as the lunch is just ready."

Somebody was thoughtful; there was a high chair at the dining table.
After a very satisfying meal, Welborn shoved back his chair. He found
a piece of wrapping paper that he spread in front of Davy and drew a
rough map.

"We are near the line of two states," he said. "The Medicine Bow
Mountains are here. Geologists point out that this range so
interrupted the route of the Continental Divide that it turned it back
to the north in a big curve and made it hard to find. We go through a
pass in the range. On this side, we run into the little streams that
form the Laramie River. On yon side is the North Platte. Both run
north and both find sources in the North Park. Those who know, say
that for beauty and grandeur no section of the world beats the North
Park country. Personally I do not know, as my contacts have been
limited. It is said, too, that this is the northern limits of gold. At
this point, the mountains seemed to have changed their content, or
else those to the north were made at a different era. All these things
are speculative and have their exceptions, as I well know.

"North Park, however, is a great grazing country. Its grass wealth may
be greater than its mineral. The government owns the land, except
tracts here and there suitable for farming. Our destination is the
S