"Think, John! This country hasn't changed a bit since the day Columbus
set out from Spain."

"How true! Fine old bird, Columbus--he saw America first. Great head
he showed, too, getting himself named Christopher. Otherwise you might
have said, 'the day Antony discovered Cleopatra'--or something like
that. Wise old Chris!"

Stella's eyes narrowed reflectively.

"John Wesley, you've been reading! You never used to know anything
about Mark Antony."

"I cribbed that remark from Billy Beebe and he swiped it from a
magazine. I don't know much about Mark, even this very yet. Good old
easy Mark!"

"That's the how of it. You've been absorbing knowledge from those
pardners of yours. Your talk shows it. You're changed a lot--that way.
Every other way you're the same old Wes!"

"Now, that sounds better!" said Pringle in his most complacent tones.
"I want to talk about myself, always, Stella May Vorhis; we've come
thirty miles and I've heard Christopher Foy, Foy, Foy, all the way!
It's exasperating! It's sickening!"

But Stella was not to be flustered. She held her head proudly.

"It's you that have been talking about him. I told you you'd like him,
John Wesley."