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down at the corrals； the boys began to shoot at large。 〃Oh； dear！〃 she
cried； starting up。 〃There's trouble。〃
〃Not trouble；〃 I assured her。 〃Too many are firing at once to be in
earnest。 And you would be safe here。〃
〃Me？ A lady without escort？ Well； I should reckon so！ Leastways； we are
respected where I was raised。 I was anxious for the gentlemen ovah
yondah。 Shawhan； K。 C。 branch of the Louavull an' Nashvull； is my home。〃
The words 〃Louisville and Nashville〃 spoke creamily of Blue…grass。
〃Unescorted all that way！〃 I exclaimed。
〃Isn't it awful？〃 said she； tilting her head with a laugh； and showing
the pistol she carried。 〃But we've always been awful in Kentucky。 Now I
suppose New York would never speak to poor me as it passed by？〃 And she
eyed me with capable； good…humored satire。
〃Why New York？〃 I demanded。 〃Guess again。〃
〃Well；〃 she debated； 〃well； cowboy clothes and city languagehe's
English！〃 she burst out； and then she turned suddenly red； and whispered
to herself； reprovingly； 〃If I'm not acting rude！〃
〃Oh！〃 said I； rather familiarly。
〃It was； sir； and please to excuse me。 If you had started joking so free
with me； I'd have been insulted。 When I saw youthe hat and everything
I took youYou see I've always been that used to talking toto folks
around！〃 Her bright face saddened； memories evidently rose before her；
and her eyes grew distant。
I wished to say； 〃Treat me as 'folks around；'〃 but this tall country girl
had put us on other terms。 On discovering I was not 〃folks around；〃 she
had taken refuge in deriding me； but swiftly feeling no solid ground
there； she drew a firm； clear woman's line between us。 Plainly she was a
comrade of men； in her buoyant innocence secure； yet by no means in the
dark as to them。
〃Yes； unescorted two thousand miles；〃 she resumed； 〃and never as far as
twenty from home till last Tuesday。 I expect you'll have to be
scandalized； for I'd do it right over again to…morrow。〃
〃You've got me all wrong；〃 said I。 〃I'm not English； I'm not New York。 I
am good American； and not bounded by my own farm either。 No sectional
line； or Mason and Dixon； or Missouri River tattoos me。 But you； when you
say United States； you mean United Kentucky！〃
〃Did you ever！〃 said she； staring at what was Greek to heras it is to
most Americans。 〃And so if you had a sister back East； and she and you
were all there was of you any more； and she hadn't seen you sincenot
since you first took to staying out nights； and she started to visit you；
you'd not tell her 'Fie for shame'？〃
〃I'd travel my money's length to meet her！〃 said I。
A wave of pain crossed her face。 〃Nate didn't know；〃 she said then；
lightly。 〃You see； Nate's only a boy； and regular thoughtless about
writing。〃
Ah！ So this Nate never wrote； and his sister loved and championed him！
Many such stray Nates and Bobs and Bills galloped over Wyoming； lost and
forgiven。
〃I'm starting for him in the Buffalo stage；〃 continued the girl。
〃Then I'll have your company on a weary road；〃 said I； for my journey was
now to that part of the cattle country。
〃To Buffalo？〃 she said； quickly。 〃Then maybe youmaybeMy brother is
Nate Buckner。〃 She paused。 〃Then you're not acquainted with him？〃
〃I may have seen him；〃 I answered； slowly。 〃But faces and names out here
come and go。〃
I knew him well enough。 He was in jail； convicted of forgery last week；
waiting to go to the penitentiary for five years。 And even this wild
border community that hated law courts and punishments had not been
sorry； for he had cheated his friends too often； and the wide charity of
the sage…brush does not cover that sin。 Beneath his pretty looks and
daring skill with horses they had found vanity and a cold； false heart；
but his sister could not。 Here she was； come to find him after lonely
years； and to this one soul that loved him in the world how was I to tell
the desolation and the disgrace？ I was glad to hear her ask me if the
stage went soon after supper。
〃Now isn't that a bother？〃 said she； when I answered that it did not
start till morning。 She glanced with rueful gayety at the hotel。 〃Never
mind；〃 she continued； briskly； 〃I'm used to things。 I'll just sit up
somewhere。 Maybe the agent will let me stay in the office。 You're sure
all that shooting's only jollification？〃
〃Certain；〃 I said。 〃But I'll go and see。〃
〃They always will have their fun；〃 said she。 〃But I hate to have a poor
boy get hurteven him deserving it！〃
〃They use pistols instead of fire…crackers；〃 said I。 〃But you must never
sleep in that office。 I'll see what we can do。〃
〃Why； you're real kind！〃 she exclaimed； heartily。 And I departed；
wondering what I ought to do。
Perhaps I should have told you before that Separ was a place oncea sort
of place； but you will relish now； I am convinced； the pithy fable of its
name。
Midway between two sections of this still unfinished line that； rail
after rail and mile upon mile； crawled over the earth's face visibly
during the constructing hours of each new day； lay a camp。 To this point
these unjoined pieces were heading； and here at length they met。 Camp
Separation it had been fitly called； but how should the American railway
man afford time to say that？ Separation was pretty and apt； but needless；
and with the sloughing of two syllables came the brief； businesslike
resultSepar。 Chicago； 1137…1/2 miles。 It was labelled on a board large
almost as the hut station。 A Y…switch； two sidings； the fat water…tank
and steam…pump； and a section…house with three trees before it composed
the north side。 South of the track were no trees。 There was one long
siding by the corrals and cattle…chute； there were a hovel where plug
tobacco and canned goods were for sale； a shed where you might get your
horse shod； a wire fence that at shipping times enclosed bales of pressed
hay； the hotel； the stage stable； and the little stationsome seven
shanties all told。 Between them were spaces of dust； the immediate plains
engulfed them； and through their midst ran the far…vanishing railroad； to
which they hung like beads on a great string from horizon to horizon。 A
great east…and…west string； one end in the rosy sun at morning； and one
in the crimson sun at night。 Beyond each sky…line lay cities and ports
where the world went on out of sight and hearing。 This lone steel thread
had been stretched across the continent because it was the day of haste
and hope； when dollars seemed many and hard times were few； and from the
Yellowstone to the Rio Grande similar threads were stretching； and little
Separs by dispersed hundreds hung on them； as it were in space eternal。
Can you wonder that vigorous young men with pistols should； when they
came to such a place； shoot them off to let loose their unbounded joy of
living？
And yet it was not this merely that began the custom； but an error of the
agent's。 The new station was scarce created when one morning Honey Wiggin
with the Virginian had galloped innocently in from the round…up to
telegraph for some additional cars。
〃I'm dead on to you！〃 squealed the official； dropping flat at the sight
of them； and bang went his gun at them。 They； most naturally； thought it
was a maniac； and ran for their lives among the supports of the
water…tank； while he remained anchored with his weapon； crouched behind
the railing that fenced him and his apparatus from the laity； and some
fifteen strategic minutes passed before all parties had crawled forth to
an understanding； and the message was written and paid for and
comfortably despatched。 The agent was an honest creature； but of tame
habits； sent for the sake of his imperfect lungs to this otherwise
inappropriate air。 He had lived chiefly in mid…West towns； a serious
reader of our comic weeklies； hence the apparition of Wiggin and the
Virginian had reminded him sickeningly of bandits。 He had express money
in the safe； he explained to them； and this was a hard old country；
wasn't it？ and did they like good whiskey？
They drank his whiskey； but it was not well to have mentioned that about
the bandits。 Both were aware that when shaved and washed of their
round…up grime they could look very engaging。 The two cow…punchers rode
out； not angry； but grieved that a man come here to dwell among them
should be so tactless。
〃If we don't get him used to us；〃 observed the Virginian； 〃he and his
pop…gun will be guttin' some blameless man。〃
Forthwith the cattle country proceeded to get the agent used to it。 The
news went over the sage…brush from Belle Fourche to Sweetwater； and
playful； howling horsemen made it their custom to go rioting with pistols
round the ticket office； educating the agent。 His lungs improved； and he
came dimly to smile at this life which he did not understand。 But the
company discerned no humor whatever in having its water…tank perforated；
which