that's not
so serious!" said he to me, with a jovial wink. "But I won't have my
stock starved. You'll skip the station and go through to Thomas with
this pair," he added to the driver in his voice of lusty command.
"You'll get supper at Thomas. Everything's moved on there from to-day.
That's the rule now." Then he returned to black curly, who, like the
driver, had remained cowed and respectful throughout the short harangue.
"Your brother could have treated me square and made money by that
station. Tell him that, and to see me by Thursday. If he's thinking of
peddling vegetables this season I'll let him sell to Fort Bowie.
Safford takes Carlos, and I won't have two compete in the same market,
or we'll be sinking low as Eastern prices," said he to me, with another
wink. "Drive on now. You're late."

He shut the flap, and we were off quickly--too quickly. In the next few
moments I could feel that something all wrong went on; there was a
jingle and snapping of harness, and such a voice from the Bishop behind
us that I looked out to see him. We had stopped, and he was running
after us at a wonderful pace for a man of sixty-four.

"If you don't drive better than that," said the grizzled athlete,
arriving cool and competent, "you'll saw wood for another year. Look how
you've got them trembling."

It was a young pair, and they stood and steamed while the broken gear
was mended.

"What did California hold the record in before the Boy Orator broke it?"
said I, getting out.

He shot at me the same sinister look I had seen in the Capitol, the look
he must always wear, I suppose, when taken aback. Then he laughed
broadly and heartily, a strong pleasant laugh that nearly made me like
him. "So you're that fellow! Ho, ho! Away down here now. Oh, ho, ho!
What's your business?"

"You wouldn't believe if I told you," said I, to his sudden sharp
question.

"Me? Why, I believe everything I'm told. What's your name?"

"Will you believe I haven't come to buy anybody's silver mine?"

"Silver! I don't keep it. Unloaded ten years ago before the rabbit
died."

"Then you're the first anti-silver man I've met."

"I'm anti anything I can't sell, young man. Here's all there is to
silver: Once upon a time it was hard to get, and we had to have it. Now
it's easy. When it gets as common as dirt it'll be as cheap as dirt.
Same as watermelons when it's a big crop. D'you follow me? That's silver
for you, and I don't want it. So you've come