“I was afraid my last chance of reaching the Judge’s had gone.” Thus I said a number of things designed to be agreeable, but they met my small talk with the smallest talk you can have. “Yes,” for instance, and “ Pretty well, I guess,” and grave strikings of matches and thoughtful looks at the floor. I suppose we had made twenty miles to the imperturbable clicking of the caboose when one at length asked his neighbor had he ever seen New York.

“No,” said the other. “Flooded with dudes, ain’t it?” “Swimmin’,” said the first.

“Leakin’, too,” said a third.

“Well, my gracious!” said a fourth, and beat his knee in private delight. None of them ever looked at me. For some reason I felt exceedingly ill at ease.

“Good clothes in New York,” said the third.

“Rich food,” said the first.

“Fresh eggs, too,” said the third.

“Well, my gracious!” said the fourth, beating his knee.

“Why, yes,” observed the Virginian, unexpectedly; “they tell me that aiggs there ain’t liable to be so rotten as yu’ll strike ’em in this country.” None of them had a reply for this, and New York was abandoned. For some reason I felt much better.

It was a new line they adopted next, led off by Trampas.

“Going to the excitement?” he inquired, selecting Shorty.

“Excitement?” said Shorty, looking up.

“Going to Rawhide?” Trampas repeated. And all watched Shorty.

“Why, I’m all adrift missin’ that express,” said Shorty.

“Maybe I can give you employment,” suggested the Virginian. “I am taking an outfit across the basin.” “You’ll find most folks going to Rawhide, if you re looking for company,” pursued Trampas, fishing for a recruit.” “How about Rawhide, anyway?” said Scipio, skillfully deflecting this missionary work. “Are they taking much mineral out? Have yu’ seen any of the rock?” “Rock?” broke in the enthusiast who had beaten his knee. “There!” And he brought some from his pocket.

“You’re always showing your rock,” said Trampas, sulkily; for Scipio now held the conversation, and Shorty returned safely to his dozing

“H’m!” went Scipio at the rock. He turned it back and forth in his hand, looking it over; he chucked and caught it slightingly in the air, and handed it back. “Porphyry, I see.” That was his only word about it. He said it cheerily. He left no room for discussion. You could not damn a thing worse. “Ever been in Santa Rita?” pursued Scipio, while the enthusiast slowly pushed his rock back into his pocket. “That’s down in New Mexico. Ever been to Globe, Arizona?” And Scipio talked away about the mines he had known. There was no getting at Shorty any more that evening. Trampas was foiled of his fish, or of learning how the fish’s heart lay. And by morning Shorty had been carefully instructed to change his mind about once an hour. This is apt to discourage all but very superior missionaries. And I too escaped for the rest of this night. At Glendive we had a dim supper, and I bought some blankets; and after that it was late, and sleep occupied the attention of us all.