of cattle in around here now. Town's got two hotels, good livery
stable--that's mine--half a dozen stores, nigh on to a dozen saloons,
an' two barber-shops. Yes, sir, Ellisville is the place!"

"Which way are you bound, sir?" asked the stranger, still sitting,
apparently in thought, with his chin resting on his hand.

"Well, you see, they's another town goin' up below here about twenty
mile--old man Plum's town, Plum Centre. I run the mail an' carry folk
acrost from Ellisville to that place. This here is just about halfway
acrost. Ellisville's about twenty or twenty-five mile north of here."

Sam spoke lucidly enough, but really he was much consumed with
curiosity, for he had seen, behind the driver of the wagon, a face
outlined in the shade. He wondered how many "women-folk" the new mover
had along, this being ever a vital question at that day. The tall man
on the wagon seat turned his face slowly back toward the interior of
the wagon.

"What do you think, Lizzie?" he asked.

"Dear me, William," came reply from the darkness in a somewhat
complaining voice, "how can I tell? It all seems alike to me. You can
judge better than I."

"What do you say, niece?"

The person last addressed rested a hand upon the questioner's shoulder
and lightly climbed out upon the seat by his side, stooping as she
passed under the low bow of the cover frame. She stood upright, a tall