It veered off toward the head waters of White Water Creek on that first day's journey; and near a new farm, where they kept a tavern, we stopped because there was water in the well, and hay and firewood for sale.

It was still early.

The yellow-haired woman, whose name I did not know, alighted, and when I found that they would keep her for the night, went toward the farm-house without thanking me--but she was too much worried about something to think of that, I guess; but she turned and came back.
"Which way is Monterey Centre ?" she asked.
"Away off to the westward," I answered.
"Is it far ?" "A long ways," I said.
"Is it on this awful prairie ?" she inquired.
"Yes," said I, "I guess it is.

It's farther away from timber than this I calculate." "My lord," she burst out.

"I'll simply die of the horrors!" She looked over the trail toward Dubuque, and then slowly went into the house.
So, then, these two with all their strange actions were going to Monterey County! They would be neighbors of mine, maybe; but probably not.