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。
