"Oh! we hold services in log or sod houses, anywhere we can get the people together."
I then spoke of my mission of writing up the history of the colony, and their settling, and the country they located in, and why I went to Valentine, and remarked:
"I gathered some very interesting history from——"
"Well if you believe all old —— tells you, you may just believe everything," came from the man in the back-ground, who had not ventured a word before, and with this he took a seat nearer the rest of us, and listened to Mr. T. telling of the country, and of the utter recklessness and desperation of the cow-boys; how they shot at random, not caring where their bullets flew, and taking especial delight in testing the courage of strangers by the "whiz of the bullets about their ears."
"Is there any place where I can stop and go back, and not go on to Valentine," I asked.
"No, Miss, you are bound for Valentine now;" and added for comfort sake, "no danger of you getting shot, unless by mere accident. They are very respectful to ladies, in fact, are never known to insult a lady. Pretty good hearted boys when sober, but when they are on a spree, they are as wild as wild can be;" with an ominous shake of his head.
"Do you think they will be on a spree when I get there?"
"Can't say, indeed; hope not."
"A man came not long ago, and to test his courage or see how high he could jump, they shot about his feet and cut bullet holes through his hat, and the poor fellow left, not waiting to pick up his overcoat and baggage. A woman is carrying a bullet in her arm now where a stray one lodged that came through the house.
After this bit of information was delivered, he went into the other car to take a smoke. I readily understood it was more for his own amusement than ours that he related all this, and that he enjoyed emphasizing the most important words. The gentlemen across the aisle handed me his card with: