MorninghadbeenforsomewhileastirinMedicineBowbeforeI

leftmyquilts。Thenewdayanditsdoingsbeganaroundmeinthestore，chieflyatthegrocerycounter。Dry-goodswerenotingreatrequest。Theearlyrisingcow-boyswereoffagaintotheirwork；andthosetowhomtheirnight’sholidayhadleftanydollarswerespendingthesefortobacco，orcartridges，orcannedprovisionsforthejourneytotheirdistantcamps。Sardineswerecalledfor，andpottedchicken，anddevilledham:asophisticatednourishment，atfirstsight，forthesesonsofthesage-brush。

Butportableready-madefoodplaysofnecessityagreatpartintheopeningofanewcountry。ThesepicnicpotsandcanswerethefirstofhertrophiesthatCivilizationdroppeduponWyoming’svirginsoil。Thecow-boyisnowgonetoworldsinvisible；thewindhasblownawaythewhiteashesofhiscamp-fires；buttheemptysardineboxliesrustingoverthefaceoftheWesternearth。

SothroughmyeyeshalfclosedIwatchedthesaleofthesetins，andgrewfamiliarwiththeham’sinevitabletrade-mark——thatlabelwiththedevilandhishornsandhoofsandtailverypronounced，allcoloredasultryprodigiousscarlet。Andwheneachhorsemanhadmadehispurchase，hewouldtrailhisspursoverthefloor，andpresentlythesoundofhishorse’shoofswouldbethelastofhim。Throughmydozingattentioncamevariousfragmentsoftalk，andsometimesusefulbitsofknowledge。Forinstance，Ilearnedthetruevalueoftomatoesinthiscountry。Onefellowwasbuyingtwocansofthem。

“MeadowCreekdryalready？“commentedtheproprietor。

“Beendrytendays，“theyoungcow-boyinformedhim。Anditappearedthatalongtheroadhewasgoing，waterwouldnotbereachedmuchbeforesundown，becausethisMeadowCreekhadceasedtorun。Histomatoeswerefordrink。Andthustheyhaverefreshedmemanytimessince。

“Nobeer？“suggestedtheproprietor。

Theboymadeashudderingface。“Don’tsayitsnametome！“heexclaimed。“Icouldn’tholdmybreakfastdown。“Heranghissilvermoneyuponthecounter。“I’vesworeoffforthreemonths，“

hestated。“I’mgoingtobeaspureasthesnow！“Andawayhewentjinglingoutofthedoor，torideseventy-fivemiles。Threemoremonthsofhard，unshelteredwork，andhewouldrideintotownagain，withhisadolescentbloodcryingaloudforitsown。

“I’mobliged，“saidanewvoice，rousingmefromanewdoze。

“She’seasierthismorning，sincethemedicine。“Thiswastheengineer，whosesickwifehadbroughtahushoverMedicineBow’srioting。“I’llgiveherthemflowerssoonasshewakes，“headded。

“Flowers？“repeatedtheproprietor。

“Youdidn’tleavethatbunchatourdoor？“

“WishI’dthoughttodoit。“

“Shelikestoseeflowers，“saidtheengineer。Andhewalkedoutslowly，withhisthanksunachieved。HereturnedatoncewiththeVirginian；forinthebandoftheVirginian’shatweretwoorthreeblossoms。

“Itdon’tneedmentioning，“theSouthernerwassaying，embarrassedbyanyexpressionofthanks。“Ifwehadknowedlastnight——“

“Youdidn’tdisturbherany，“brokeintheengineer。“She’seasierthismorning。I’lltellheraboutthemflowers。“

“Why，itdon’tneedmentioning，“theVirginianagainprotested，almostcrossly。“Thelittlethingslookedkindo’fresh，andI

justpickedthem。“Hiseyenowfelluponme，whereIlayuponthecounter。“Ireckonbreakfastwillbegettingthrough，“heremarked。

Iwassoonatthewashtrough。Itwasonlyhalf-pastsix，butmanyhadbeenbeforeme，——oneglanceattheroller-toweltoldmethat。Iwasafraidtoaskthelandladyforacleanone，andsoI

foundafreshhandkerchief，andaccomplishedasparingtoilet。Inthemidstofthisthedrummersjoinedme，onebyone，andtheyusedthedegradedtowelwithouthesitation。Inawaytheyhadthebestofme；filthwasnothingtothem。

ThelatestrisersinMedicineBow，wesatatbreakfasttogether；

andtheyessayedsomelightfamiliaritieswiththelandlady。Buttheseexperimentswerefailures。Hereyesdidnotsee，nordidherearshearthem。Shebroughtthecoffeeandthebaconwithasedatenessthatproprietyitselfcouldscarcehavesurpassed。Yetimproprietylurkednoiselesslyalloverher。Youcouldnothavespecifiedhow；itwasinterblendedwithhersumtotal。Silencewasherapparenthabitandherweapon；buttheAmericandrummerfoundthatshecouldspeaktothepointwhenneedcameforthis。

Duringthemealhehadpraisedhergoldenhair。Itwasgoldenindeed，andworthahighcompliment；buthiskinddispleasedher。

Shehadletitpass，however，withnomorethanacoolstare。Butontakinghisleave，whenhecametopayforthemeal，hepushedittoofar。

“Pitythismustbeourlast，“hesaid；andasitbroughtnoanswer，“Evertravel？“heinquired。“WhereIgo，there’sroomforapairofus。“

“Thenyou’dbetterfindanotherjackass，“sherepliedquietly。

IwasgladthatIhadnotaskedforacleantowel。

FromthecommercialtravellersInowseparatedmyself，andwanderedaloneinpleasurableaimlessness。Itwasseveno’clock。

MedicineBowstoodvoicelessandunpeopled。Thecow-boyshadmeltedaway。Theinhabitantswereindoors，pursuingthebusinessortheidlenessoftheforenoon。Visiblemotiontherewasnone。

NoshelluponthedrysandscouldliemorelifelessthanMedicineBow。Lookinginatthestore，Isawtheproprietorsittingwithhispipeextinct。Lookinginatthesaloon，Isawthedealerdealingdumblytohimself。Upintheskytherewasnotacloudnorabird，andontheearththelighteststrawlaybecalmed。

OnceIsawtheVirginianatanopendoor，wherethegolden-hairedlandladystoodtalkingwithhim。SometimesIstrolledinthetown，andsometimesoutontheplainIlaydownwithmydaydreamsinthesagebrush。Paleherdsofantelopewereinthedistance，andnearbythedemureprairie-dogssatupandscrutinizedme。Steve，Trampas，theriotofhorsemen，mylosttrunk，UncleHughey，withhisabortivebrides——allthingsmergedinmythoughtsinahuge，deliciousindifference。Itwaslikeswimmingslowlyatrandominanoceanthatwassmooth，andneithertoocoolnortoowarm。AndbeforeIknewit，fivelazyimperceptiblehourshadgonethus。TherewastheUnionPacifictrain，comingasiffromshoresforgotten。

Itsapproachwassilentandlongdrawnout。Ieasilyreachedtownandtheplatformbeforeithadfinishedwateringatthetank。Itmovedup，madeashorthalt，Isawmytrunkcomeoutofit，andthenitmovedawaysilentlyasithadcome，smokinganddwindlingintodistanceunknown。

Besidemytrunkwasoneother，tiedextravagantlywithwhiteribbon。Theflutteringbowscaughtmyattention，andnowI

suddenlysawaperfectlynewsight。TheVirginianwasfurtherdowntheplatform，doubledupwithlaughing。Itwasgoodtoknowthatwithsufficientcausehecouldlaughlikethis；asmilehadthusfarbeenhislimitofexternalmirth。Ricenowflewagainstmyhat，andhissinggustsofricespoutedontheplatform。AllthemenleftinMedicineBowappearedlikemagic，andmorericechokedtheatmosphere。Throughthegeneralclamoracrackedvoicesaid，“Don’thitherintheeye，boys！“andUncleHugheyrushedproudlybymewithanactualwifeonhisarm。Shecouldeasilyhavebeenhisgranddaughter。Theygotatonceintoavehicle。Thetrunkwasliftedinbehind。Andamidcheers，rice，shoes，andbroadfelicitations，thepairdroveoutoftown，UncleHugheyshriekingtothehorsesandthebridewavingunabashedadieus。

ThewordhadcomeoverthewiresfromLaramie:“UncleHugheyhasmadeitthistime。Expecthimonto-day’snumbertwo。“AndMedicineBowhadexpectedhim。

Manywordsaroseonthedepartureofthenew-marriedcouple。

“Who’sshe？“

“What’shegotforher？“

“GotagoldmineupBearCreek。“

Andaftercommentandprophecy，MedicineBowreturnedtoitsdinner。

Thismealwasmylasthereforalongwhile。TheVirginian’sresponsibilitynowreturned；dutydrovetheJudge’strustworthymantotakecareofmeagain。Hehadnotoncesoughtmysocietyofhisownaccord；hisdistasteforwhathesupposedmetobe(I

don’texactlyknowwhatthiswas)remainedunshaken。Ihavethoughtthatmattersofdressandspeechshouldnotcarrywiththemsomuchmistrustinourdemocracy；thievesarepresumedinnocentuntilprovedguilty，butastarchedcollariscondemnedatonce。PerfectcivilityandobligingnessIcertainlydidreceivefromtheVirginian，onlynotawordoffellowship。Heharnessedthehorses，gotmytrunk，andgavemesomeadviceabouttakingprovisionsforourjourney，somethingmorepalatablethanwhatfoodweshouldfindalongtheroad。Itwaswellthoughtof，andIboughtquiteaparcelofdainties，feelingthathewoulddespiseboththemandme。AndthusItookmyseatbesidehim，wonderingwhatweshouldmanagetotalkaboutfortwohundredandsixty-threemiles。

FarewellinthosedayswasnotsaidinCattleLand。Acquaintanceswatchedourdeparturewithanodorwithnothing，andthenearestapproachto“Good-by“wastheproprietor’s“So-long。“ButI

caughtsightofonefarewellgivenwithoutwords。

Aswedrovebytheeating-house，theshadeofasidewindowwasraised，andthelandladylookedherlastupontheVirginian。Herlipswerefaintlyparted，andnowoman’seyeseversaidmoreplainly，“Iamoneofyourpossessions。“Shehadforgottenthatitmightbeseen。Herglancecaughtmine，andshebackedintothedimnessoftheroom。Whatlookshemayhavereceivedfromhim，ifhegaveheranyatthistoopublicmoment，Icouldnottell。Hiseyesseemedtobeuponthehorses，andhedrovewiththesamemasteringeasethathadropedthewildponyyesterday。WepassedtherampartsofMedicineBow，——thickheapsandfringesoftincans，andshelvingmoundsofbottlescastoutofthesaloons。Thesunstrucktheseatahundredglitteringpoints。Andinamomentwewereinthecleanplains，withtheprairie-dogsandthepaleherdsofantelope。Thegreat，stillairbathedus，pureaswaterandstrongaswine；thesunlightfloodedtheworld；andshininguponthebreastoftheVirginian’sflannelshirtlayalonggoldthreadofhair！ThenoisyAmericandrummerhadmetdefeat，butthissilentfreelancehadbeeneasilyvictorious。

Itmusthavebeenfivemilesthatwetravelledinsilence，losingandseeingthehorizonamongtheceaselesswavesoftheearth。

ThenIlookedback，andtherewasMedicineBow，seeminglyastone’sthrowbehindus。Itwasafullhalf-hourbeforeIlookedbackagain，andtheresureenoughwasalwaysMedicineBow。Asizeortwosmaller，Iwilladmit，butvisibleineveryfeature，likesomethingseenthroughthewrongendofafieldglass。TheEast-boundexpresswasapproachingthetown，andInoticedthewhitesteamfromitswhistle；butwhenthesoundreachedus，thetrainhadalmoststopped。Andinreplytomycommentuponthis，theVirginiandeignedtoremarkthatitwasmoresoinArizona。

“AmancometoArizona，“hesaid，“withoneofthemtelescopestostudytheheavenlybodies。HewasaYankee，seh，andarightsmartone，too。Andonenightwewaswatchin’forsomelittleoldfallin’starsthathesaidwasdue，andIsawsomelightsmovin’

alongacrossthemesaprettylively，an’Isangout。Buthetoldmeitwasjustthetrain。AndItoldhimIdidn’tknowyu’couldseethecyarsthatplainfromhisplace，’Yu’canseethem，’hesaidtome，’butitislas’night’scyarsyou’relookin’at。’“AtthispointtheVirginianspokeseverelytooneofthehorses。“Ofcourse，“hethenresumedtome，“thatYankeemandidnotmeanquiteallhesaid——You，Buck！“heagainbrokeoffsuddenlytothehorse。“ButArizona，seh，“hecontinued，“itcert’nlyhasamos’deceivin’atmospheah。Anothermantoldmehehadseenaladycloseoneeyeathimwhenhewastwominuteshardrunfromher。“

ThistimetheVirginiangaveBuckthewhip。

“Whateffect，“Iinquiredwithagravityequaltohisown，“doesthisextraordinaryforeshorteninghaveuponaquartofwhiskey？“

“Whenit’soutsideyu’，seh，nodistancelookstoofartogotoit。“

Heglancedatmewithaneyethatheldmoreconfidencethanhithertohehadbeenabletofeelinme。Ihadmadeonestepinhisapproval。ButIhadmanyyettogo。Thisdayhepreferredhisownthoughtstomyconversation，andsohedidallthedaysofthisfirstjourney；whileIshouldhavegreatlypreferredhisconversationtomythoughts。HedismissedsomeattemptsthatI

madeuponthesubjectofUncleHugheysothatIhadnotthecouragetotouchuponTrampas，andthatchillbriefcollisionwhichmighthavestruckthesparkofdeath。Trampas！IhadforgottenhimtillthissilentdriveIwasbeginning。IwonderedifIshouldeverseehim，orSteve，oranyofthosepeopleagain。

AndthiswonderIexpressedaloud。