The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-24

L
Stragglers from nobody knew whence,
going nobody knew where The name
less hangers on, outcasts and spectators
in whatever was easily carried and could
be dishonesty won.
OF little children there are none, thank
heaven; though two young women live
in one of the middle trains-safer there,
the captain thinks. The wagon in which
they ride is garlanded with flowers. The
year Is nearing its autumn, and the sea-
son of yellows and puppies has come.
GoIdenrod feathers tho ground over
acres and acres, and stands in solid rows
of crinkled gold along the broken lines
of the trail. Tall, purplish flower spikes
bend stiffiy before the south wind, like
bayonets in armored hands, and shake a
spicy perfume from the sensitive plant
mt their feet. Here and there clump of
fringed gentian hides behind a screen Of
compass weed; and the modest cycla-
men, the violet of autumn, turns its sweet
white face down toward its own heart
leaves, bushes tender pink, fades,
twists it's stalk into aspiral and bends TO
earth TO deposit its ripened seeds, where
they may be cherished by its own sub
stance. All these blossoms and many
more, twined with the black and reddish
water grasses, hang from the dusty wag-
on bows. But now the flower beds are
almost past, buffalo grass stretches for
many miles ahead, and then the desert
sand, alkah dust and cactus
The wagon masters wife told her COM
panion what was before them and babe
her cherish her flowers well. She did
for their own sakes. But in the folds
Of her only other gown, between the
leaves Of a prayer book that had seen
better days, were the blossoms she
plucked along the "Kings highway" on
the Missouri hills, and none Of these
latter ones were ever put with them.
The trains had been out now many
DAYS. More than hundred miles back,
at Council Grove, on the Neosho. river,
they had halted for organization. That
point was the final rendezvous for west
bound trains. There they elected
commander for the expedition and be-
yond that point the wagons never fell
out of their regular order in the line Of
march.
-Four long, toiling teams moved con-
stantly forward side by side. Then four
more came on abreast, and so to the
end. This arrangement was for the
purpose of better protection against hos
tile Indians, for whom constant look
out was kept, and with whom encounters
were not unknown by the traders,
though treaties had been made by the
government with every tribe through
whose territory the Santa Fe Trail ran,
by the terms of which all trains were 10
pass along its track unmolested. That
the government entertained doubt of
the Indians holding to this compact was
evidenced by the fact that the great
road, 800 miles long, was made 200 feet
wide, so that the caravans might be
kept compact and defensible.
The delay at Council Grove had been
longer than usual, owing to the difficulty
Of agreeing upon captain. 1t developed
that there had been tacit understanding
to elect Wagon Master King to that re-
sponsible position, and his sudden and
complete disappearance left the company
at a loss for q competent head, or at
least for one in whom they all had con-
fidence. The place obviously required
a man of nerve and quick decision, but
above all he must be possessed Of well
known fighting qualities. King had a
reputation as an Indian fighter, and al
though be was not favorite personally,
it was conceded that he could be trusted
and that he would be brave in the face
OF danger.
What do you suppose ever took King
pff, anyhow said one Of the men, after
they had canvassed the subject repeated
" and yet had not agreed upon a cap
tain. His question seemed TO be adj
dressed to the camp in general, and after
moments silence and the usual puz-
cling of brows whenever the lost wagon
masters name was mentioned, a soldier
who was lying on the grass raised upon
his elbow and said:
Il don't know as you have asked me,
but l believe this man you are talking
about went away because he saw some
body aboard tho Polar Star that he
didn't want TO meet. Who knows it
wasn't that woman"
The men looked at the speaker IN
blaDk astorishmant hut no one contra
dicted him. 1t was the first probable
solution that had been offered, and nat
urally it was not long in finding lodg-
ment in every mans mind. Then one
added:
"He was afeard, and watched, heyT
Likely enough And another said:
Smart fellow; but he's no coward"
The repacking done, after the jolting
and settling Of the freight between
Westport and Council Grove, and the
cattle winded and refreshed, it became
necessary to decide upon a captain and
20 on. An old Mexican plainsman was
chosen-a man who had made many
overland journeys, had seen much haz-
ardous service and could speak broken
English and number of Indian Ian
guages, besides Spanish. But he had
never before commanded an expedition
across the plains. Just why, nobody
seemed to know, or 10 be willing to say.
Perhaps because of an underlined fear
that In a pinch he would funk" 1t
,o<Y.,ou1 70 no bfo d,a that ha ehOul1 Onca