ready to plant. I see your ear is some smaller. Blamed funny how they do
swell sometimes," remarked the driver, loosening his collar.

The sheriff knew what that action meant and hurried to break the thread
of the conversation.

"New wheel?" he asked, eying what he knew to be old.

"Nope, painted, that's all," the driver replied, grinning. "But she
shore does look new, don't she? You see, Dick put in two new spokes
yesterday, and when I saw 'em I says, says I, 'Dick, that new wheel don't
look good thataway,' says I. 'It'll look like a limp, them new spokes
coming 'round all alone like,' says I. So we paints it, but we didn't
have time to paint the others, but they won't make much difference,
anyhow. Funny how a little paint will change things, now ain't it? Why, I
can remember when-----"

"Much mail nowadays?" interposed the sheriff calmly.

"Nope. Folks out here ain't a-helpin' Uncle Sam much. Postmaster says he
only sold ten stamps this week. What he wants, as I told him, is women.
Then everybody'll be sendin' letters and presents and things. Now, I knows
what I'm talking about, because-----"

"The Apaches are out," jabbed the sheriff, hopefully.

"Yes, I heard that you had a soiree with them. But they won't get so
far north as this. No, siree, they won't. They knows too much, Apaches
do. Ain't they smart cusses, though? Now, there's old Geronimo--been
raising the devil for years. The cavalry goes out for him regular, and
shore thinks he's caught, but he ain't. When he's found he's home smoking
his pipe and counting his wives, which are shore numerous, they say. Now,
I've got a bully scheme for getting him, Sheriff----"

"Hey, you," came from the office. "Do you reckon that train is going to
tie up and wait for you, hey? Do you think you are so d----d important
that they won't pull out unless you're on hand? Why in h--l don't you quit
chinning and get started?"

"Oh, you choke up!" cried Bill, clambering up to his seat. "Who's running
this, anyhow!" he grumbled under his breath. Then he took up the reins
and carefully sorted them, after which he looked down at Shields, whose
face wore a smile of amusement.

"Bill Howland ain't none a-scared because a lot of calamity howlers get a
hunch. Not on your life! I've reached the high C of rollicking progress
too many times to be airy scairt at rumors. Show me the feather-dusters
in war paint, and then I'll take some stock in raids. You get up a bet
on me Sheriff, m