isms by saying that there would be horses left in the
world after he was gone. He said he hadn't time to waste on saving
horses; but he always had one or two teams that he took good care of;
and once in a while Pinck Johnson went back, to Kentucky, it was said,
and brought on a fresh supply. As they came near to us the negro pulled
up, and halted just after they had passed us. We stopped, and Gowdy came
back to my wagon.

"How do you do, Mr. Vandemark," he said. "I am glad to see that you
survived all the dangers of the voyage."

"How-de-do," I answered, looking as blank as I could; for Virginia was
on my mind as soon as I saw him. "I come slow, but I'm here."

All through this talk, Gowdy watched my face as if to catch me telling
something crooked; and I made up my mind to give him just enough of the
truth to cover what he was sure to find out whether I told him or not.

"Did you pick up any passengers as you came along?" he asked, with a
sharp look.

"Yes," I said. "I had a lawyer with me for a day or two--Mr. Creede."

"Heard of him," said Gowdy. "Locating over at our new town of
Lithopolis, isn't he? See anybody you knew on the way?"

"Yes," I said. "I saw your sister-in-law in Waterloo, She was with a
minister and his wife--a Mr. and Mrs. Thorndyke--or something
like that."

"Yes," said Gowdy, trying to be calm. "Friends of ours--of hers."

"They're here in the city," said Henderson L. "He's going to be the new
preacher."

"I know," said Gowdy. "I know. Able man, too. How did it happen that I
didn't see your outfit, Mr. Vandemark? I went back over the road after I
passed you there at the mud-hole, and returned, and wondered why I
didn't see you. Thought you had turned off and given Monterey County up.
Odd I didn't see you." And all the time he was looking at me like a
lawyer cross-examining a witness.

"Oh," said I, "I went off the road a few miles to break in some cattle I
had traded for, and to let them get over their sore-footedness, and to
leave some that I couldn't bring along. I had so many that I couldn't
make time. I'm going back for them as soon as I can get around to it.
You must have missed me that way."

"Trust Mr. Vandemark," said he, "to follow off any cattle track that
shows itself. He is destined to be the cattle king of the prairies, Mr.
Burns. I'm needing all the men I can get, Mr. Vandemark, putting up my
house and barns and breaking prairie. I wonder if you wouldn't like to
turn a