ys I. "Is that a flag station or just a four corners?
Somewhere in Ohio, ain't it?"

"Sheridan County, Kansas," says he.

"Well, well!" says I. "Now I can account for your size. Have to grow
tall out there, don't you, so's not to get lost in the wheat patch?"

Say, for a josh consumer, he was the easiest ever. All he does is
stand there and grin, like he was the weak end of a variety team. But
it seems a shame to crowd a willin' performer; so I was just tellin'
him he'd better go out and hunt up a city directory in some drug store,
when Pinckney shows up, lookin' interested.

"There!" says I. "Here's a man now that'll lead you straight to
Zylphina in no time. Pinckney, let me make you acquainted with
Mister--er----"

"Cobb," says the Hoxie gent, "Wilbur Cobb."

"From out West," I puts in, givin' Pinckney the nudge. "He's yours."

It ain't often I has a chance to unload anything like that on Pinckney,
so I rubs it in. The thoughts of him towin' around town a human
extension like this Wilbur strikes Swifty Joe so hard that he most has
a chokin' fit.

But you never know what turn Pinckney's goin' to give to a jolly. He
don't even crack a smile, but reaches up and hands Mr. Cobb the cordial
shake, just as though he'd been a pattern sized gent dressed accordin'
to the new fall styles.

"Ah!" says Pinckney. "I'm very glad to meet anyone from the West.
What State, Mr. Cobb?"

And inside of two minutes he's gettin' all the details of this Zylphina
hunt, from the ground up, includin' an outline of Wilbur's past life.

Seems that Wilbur'd got his first start in Maine; but 'way back before
he could remember much his folks had moved to Kansas on a homestead.
Then, when Wilbur tossled out, he takes up a quarter section near
Hoxie, and goes to corn farmin' for himself, raisin' a few hogs as a
side line. Barrin' bein' caught in a cyclone or two, and gettin'
elected junior kazook of the Sheridan County Grange, nothin' much
happened to Wilbur, until one day he took a car ride as far west as
Colby Junction.

That's where he meets up with Zylphina. She was jugglin' stop over
rations at the railroad lunch counter. Men must have been mighty
scarce around the junction, or else she wants the most she can get for
the money; for, as she passes Wilbur a hunk of petrified pie and draws
him one muddy, with two lumps on the saucer, she throws in a smile that
makes him feel like he'd stepped on a live third rail.

Acco