ley bowed, taking off their hats.

"Hello, hello, Pres," cried Annixter, over the heads of the intervening
crowd, standing up in his stirrups and waving a hand, "Great day! What a
mob, hey? Say when this thing is over and everybody starts to walk into
the barbecue, come and have lunch with us. I'll look for you, you and
Harran. Hello, Harran, where's the Governor?"

"He didn't come to-day," Harran shouted back, as the crowd carried him
further away from Annixter. "Left him and old Broderson at Los Muertos."

The throng emerged into the open country again, spreading out upon the
Osterman ranch. From all directions could be seen horses and buggies
driving across the stubble, converging upon the rendezvous. Osterman's
Ranch house was left to the eastward; the army of the guests hurrying
forward--for it began to be late--to where around a flag pole, flying
a red flag, a vast crowd of buggies and horses was already forming. The
marshals began to appear. Hooven, descending from the farm wagon, pinned
his white badge to his hat brim and mounted his horse. Osterman, in
marvellous riding clothes of English pattern, galloped up and down upon
his best thoroughbred, cracking jokes with everybody, chaffing, joshing,
his great mouth distended in a perpetual grin of amiability.

"Stop here, stop here," he vociferated, dashing along in front of
Presley and Harran, waving his crop. The procession came to a halt,
the horses' heads pointing eastward. The line began to be formed. The
marshals perspiring, shouting, fretting, galloping about, urging this
one forward, ordering this one back, ranged the thousands of conveyances
and cavaliers in a long line, shaped like a wide open crescent. Its
wings, under the command of lieutenants, were slightly advanced. Far out
before its centre Osterman took his place, delighted beyond expression
at his conspicuousness, posing for the gallery, making his horse dance.

"Wail, aindt dey gowun to gommence den bretty soohn," exclaimed Mrs.
Hooven, who had taken her husband's place on the forward seat of the
wagon.

"I never was so warm," murmured Minna, fanning herself with her hat. All
seemed in readiness. For miles over the flat expanse of stubble, curved
the interminable lines of horses and vehicles. At a guess, nearly five
thousand people were present. The drive was one of the largest ever
held. But no start was made; immobilized, the vast crescent stuck
motionless under the blazing sun. Here and th