shadow of doubt be permanently the county-seat of the best county in
Iowa, and that means the best in the known world. We are just the right
distance from the river to make this the location of the best town in
the state, and probably eventually the state capital. Land will increase
in value by leaps and bounds. No stumps, no stones, just the right
amount of rainfall--the garden spot of the West, Mr. Vandemark, the
garden spot--"

"This boy," said Pitt Bushyager, "has land already entered. I told him
you'd be able to show it to him."

"Land already entered?" he queried. "I don't seem to remember the name
of Vandemark on the records. Sure it's in this county?"

I went back to the little flat package in the iron-bound trunk, found my
deed, and gave it to him. He examined it closely.

"Not recorded," said he. "Out near Hell Slew, somewhere. Better let me
take you over to the recorder's office, and have him send it in for
record. Name of John Rucker on the records. I think the taxes haven't
been paid for a couple of years. Better have him send and get a
statement. I'll take you to the land. That's my business--guarantee it's
the right place, find the corners, and put you right as a trivet all for
twenty-five dollars."

"To-day?" I asked. "I want to get to breaking."

"Start as soon as we get through here," said he as we entered the little
board shack which bore the sign, "County Offices." "No time to lose if
you're going to plant anything this year. Le'me have that deed. This is
Mr. Vandemark, Bill."

I don't remember what "Bill's" full name was, for he went back to the
other county as soon as the government of Monterey was settled. He took
my deed, wrote a memorandum of filing on the back of it, and tossed it
into a basket as if it amounted to nothing, after giving me a receipt
for it. Henderson L. had some trouble to get me to leave the deed, and
the men about the little substitute for a court-house thought it mighty
funny, I guess; but I never could see anything funny about being
prudent. Then he got his horse, hitched to a buckboard buggy, and wanted
me to ride out to the land with him; but I would not leave my cows and
outfit. Henderson L. said he couldn't bother to wait for cows; but when
he saw my shotgun, and the twenty-five dollars which I offered him, he
said if I would furnish the gun and ammunition he would kill time along
the road, so that the whole outfit could be kept together. He even
waited while I