"
"How-de-do," I answered, looking as blank as I could; for Virginia was
on my mind as soon as I saw him. "I come slow, but I'm here."
All through this talk, Gowdy watched my face as if to catch me telling
something crooked; and I made up my mind to give him just enough of the
truth to cover what he was sure to find out whether I told him or not.
"Did you pick up any passengers as you came along?" he asked, with a
sharp look.
"Yes," I said. "I had a lawyer with me for a day or two--Mr. Creede."
"Heard of him," said Gowdy. "Locating over at our new town of
Lithopolis, isn't he? See anybody you knew on the way?"
"Yes," I said. "I saw your sister-in-law in Waterloo, She was with a
minister and his wife--a Mr. and Mrs. Thorndyke--or something
like that."
"Yes," said Gowdy, trying to be calm. "Friends of ours--of hers."
"They're here in the city," said Henderson L. "He's going to be the new
preacher."
"I know," said Gowdy. "I know. Able man, too. How did it happen that I
didn't see your outfit, Mr. Vandemark? I went back over the road after I
passed you there at the mud-hole, and returned, and wondered why I
didn't see you. Thought you had turned off and given Monterey County up.
Odd I didn't see you." And all the time he was looking at me like a
lawyer cross-examining a witness.
"Oh," said I, "I went off the road a few miles to break in some cattle I
had traded for, and to let them get over their sore-footedness, and to
leave some that I couldn't bring along.
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