All went well until after we passed Julesburg, on the Platte River, when the following important incidents occurred: I had slept a little longer than usual, having failed to awake before sunrise. My uncle aroused me and passionately remarked that he had not brought me along to wait upon me himself, but for me to wait upon him. I had discovered this fact some time before, and these unkind upbraidings made me feel acutely my position as an orphan. Shortly after this occurrence my uncle and his wife disagreed, and they finally concluded to separate. My aunt sought me out and informed me that she intended to stop at Laramie, and, in order to induce me to stay with her, she asked me if I knew where uncle was taking me? I replied that I supposed he was taking me to California. She then informed me that he was taking me to my father in Utah. This troubled me greatly, and aroused all my fears of, and hatred towards the "Mormons." At this time I did not know my father's name, as I had always borne the name of Cutler, my mother's maiden name. On receiving this information I was considerably vexed, and it caused me to swear terribly and shed tears of indignation. I at once charged my uncle with this intention, and we got to high words about it. He told me I need not go to Utah, but that I could go to California. I knew that it was unfortunate to be liberated after coming five hundred miles from home, but I felt that I would rather die than ever go to Utah. I, therefore, decided to stop at Laramie with my aunt and wait for a chance to go forward to California or return home. The gold fever had now left me, and I became perfectly reckless, having respect neither for God nor man. Matters continued so until we reached Laramie, when we halted for a few days. All this time nothing was mentioned of my uncle and aunt's separation, as a reconciliation had been effected. Previous to this we had fallen in with a man by the name of James Spicer, from Hamburg, who had three wagons and one hundred and seventy-five head of loose cattle. He had his wife with him but no children of his own, though he had brought with him an orphan boy. Spicer came to me while at Laramie, and said, "You don't want to go to Utah, do you?" I replied that I did not. He then said that he was not going there, and that he had noticed how I had been misused on the trip, but, as he was a small man compared with my uncle, he did not deem it wisdom to interfere; but if I wished to leave my uncle and go with him he would lay over until my relatives went forward if he had to remain all winter. He stated that he had a man he wanted to get rid of, who could accompany my uncle in my place. I agreed to this arrangement. Two days later my uncle came to me and said, "Abe! let us get up the cattle; we can't wait any longer for Spicer. Frank Gilbert and company, belonging to Gilbert, Gerrish and Co., of Salt Lake City, are just ahead, and we can overhaul them."