“There’snotellin’inthiscountry，“saidtheVirginian。“Folkscomeeasy，andtheygoeasy。Insettledplaces，likebackintheStates，evenapoormanmostlyhasahome。Don’tcareifit’sonlyabarrelonalot，thefello’willkeepfrequentin’thatlot，andifyu’wanthimyu’canfindhim。Butouthyehinthesage-brush，aman’shomeisapttobehissaddleblanket。Firstthingyu’know，hehasmovedittoTexas。“
“Youhavedonesomemovingyourself，“Isuggested。
Butthiswordclosedhismouth。“Ihavehadalookatthecountry，“hesaid，andweweresilentagain。Letme，however，tellyouherethathehadsetoutfora“lookatthecountry“attheageoffourteen；andthatbyhispresentageoftwenty-fourhehadseenArkansas，Texas，NewMexico，Arizona，California，Oregon，Idaho，Montana，andWyoming。Everywherehehadtakencareofhimself，andsurvived；norhadhisstrongheartyetwakeduptoanyhungerforahome。Letmealsotellyouthathewasoneofthousandsdriftingandlivingthus，butasyoushalllearnoneinathousand。
MedicineBowdidnotforeverremaininsight。WhennextIthoughtofitandlookedbehind，nothingwastherebuttheroadwehadcome；itlaylikeaship’swakeacrossthehugegroundswelloftheearth。Wewereswallowedireavastsolitude。Alittlewhilebeforesunset，acabincameinview；andherewepassedourfirstnight。Twoyoungmenlivedhere，tendingtheircattle。Theywerefondofanimals。Bythestableachainedcoyoterushednervouslyinacircle，orsatonitshaunchesandsnappedatgiftsoffoodungraciously。Atameyoungelkwalkedinandoutofthecabindoor，andduringsupperittriedtopushmeoffmychair。A
half-tamemountainsheeppractisedjumpingfromthegroundtotheroof。Thecabinwaspaperedwithpostersofacircus，andskinsofbearandsilverfoxlayuponthefloor。Untilnineo’clockonemantalkedtotheVirginian，andoneplayedgaylyuponaconcertina；andthenweallwenttobed。TheairwaslikeDecember，butinmyblanketsandabuffalorobeIkeptwarm，andluxuriatedintheRockyMountainsilence。Goingtowashbeforebreakfastatsunrise，Ifoundneedlesoficeinapail。Yetitwashardtorememberthatthisquiet，open，splendidwildernesswithnotapeakinsightjustherewassixthousandfeethigh。