The Press., 1892-07-14


 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 purples has come. Goldenrod feathers the 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 at their feet. Here and there clulnp of fringed gentian hides behind a screen of compass weed; and the modest cycla- men, theviolet of autumn, turns it's sweet white face down toward its own heart leaves, blushes a tender pink, fades, twists its stalk into spiral 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 rtS. dish 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, alkali dust andcactus.
 The wagon masters wife told her con- panion what was before them and bade her cherish her flowers we'll She did for their own sakes. But in the folds of her only other gown, between the leaves of 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 a 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 a 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 a 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 tG pass along it's track unmolested. That the government entertained doubt ot 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 bt kept compact and defensible.
 The delay at Council Grove had beer longer than usual, owing to the difficulty ! of agreeing upon & captain. 1t developed that there had been tacit understanding to electsWagon Master King to that re sponsibe position, and his sudden ana complete disappearance left the compan, at loss for competent head, or a least for one in whom they all had con fidence. The place obviously required man of nerve and quick decision, bu above all he must be possessed of wei known fighting qualities. King had reputation as an Indian fighter, and al though he was not a favorite personally it was conceded that he could be truste' tllu tIIdt ut WOu1u uo UtdNo HI Llo AdC of danger.
 "What do you suppose ever took Kim off, anyhow?" said one of the men, afte they had canvassed the subject repeated ly and yet had not agreed upon cal tain. His question seemed to be ad dressed to the camp in general, and afte moments silence and the usual pug zling of brows whenever the lost wagol masters name was mentioned, soldie who was lying on the grass raised upo his elbow and said:
 II don't know as you have asked me but believe this man you are talkin about went away because he saw some body aboard the Polar Star that h didn't want to meet. Who knows wasn't that woman"
 The men looked at the speaker il blank astonishment, but no one contra dicted him. It was the first probabl solution that had been offered, and nat urally it was not long in finding lodg ment in every mans mind. Then on added:
 ''He was afeard, and watched, hey Likely enoughr And another said.
 Smart fellow; but les no coward.
 The repacking done, after the joltinl and settling of the freight between Westport and Council Grove, and tn, cattle winded and refreshed, it becaln, necessary to decide upon a captain ant go on. An old Mexican plainsman wa chDsen--a man who had made many overland journeys, had seen much haz ardous service and could speak broker English and number of Indian Ian guages, besides Spanish. But he hao never before commanded an expedition across the plains. Just why, nobod. seemed to know, or to be willing to say
 Perhaps because of an undetined fea that in g pinch he would funk" seemed to be his due that he should onc have the honor of commanding train and though these overland mariner were not men to take great risks fo honor's sake, they ventured little thi time and elected old Jose Valdez to tn captaincy. With great show of loyalt, the crown of authority was put upon hi brow, and many of his followers pro tested that they had long wished to se the thing done. .....
 Happy old Jose! he started the expe dition with a flourish. His glitterin. black eyes danced, for they had not ye lost their luster, and they could see moving object on the plains farthe away than many that were score o | years younger. Y- F "His pride would make him do hi best." they said; everything would b safe."
 And his pride did spur the old captain constantly. It aroused his ambition t make the quickest trip that had beel known for years, to have the most com fortable camping grounds, and the bes time generally. Occasionally he woul' bring his mind back to duty with a star because he had discovered himself ii Santa Fe, recounting the success of tn expedition under his leadership to hi stay-at-home comrades, into whose ear