Men starting on the
emigrant trail were not for wasting time on preliminaries. Friendships
sprang up like the grass and were mown down like it. Standing on the
edge of the unknown was not the propitious moment for caution and
hesitation. Only the bold dared it and the bold took each other
without question, reading what was on the surface, not bothering about
what might be hidden.
It was agreed, the weather being fair, that they would start at seven
the next morning, Dr. Gillespie's party joining David's at the camp.
With their mules and horses they should make good time and within a
month overhaul the train that had left the Gillespies behind.
As the doctor and his daughter walked away the shyness of the young men
returned upon them in a heavy backwash. They were so whelmed by it
that they did not even speak to one another. But both glanced with
cautious stealth at the receding backs, the doctor in front, his
daughter walking daintily on the edge of grass by the roadside, holding
her skirts away from the wet weeds.
When she was out of sight Leff said with an embarrassed laugh:
"Well, we got some one to go along with us now.
Pages:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30