Mindy dropped into gentle slumber, but Cindy was far too excited to sleep. She thought of the train ride, and of how dearly she would love to take such a ride herself, but since there seemed to be no possibility of that, she began thinking of what lay about her and everything Pete Brent had said. It seemed to her that if she too could make the ride into Oklahoma, it would be even more wonderful than riding on a train. Maybe if she pleaded.... But the answer would be _no_. Her father and mother began to talk in low voices, and though Cindy did not try to listen, she couldn't help hearing. "I'm worried, Jed," her mother said. "I can't help thinking that something will go wrong." "Now, Ann," Jed Simpson soothed, "you know very well that I can take care of myself." "Yes, but--Oh, Jed! I always hated to see you wear a gun when you were marshal back in Lowville! But please wear it this time!" Cindy became more alert. So her quiet father had been a gun-carrying law officer! She'd never known. "Now don't you worry," she heard her father say, "I'll take the gun even though I don't expect to have any use for it." "I'll be terrified if you don't!" Ann Simpson said. "I couldn't bear to think of you out there with no way to defend yourself! All those people!" "They're good people, Ann. There's nothing to fear. You heard what Pete said." [Illustration] "I heard him say that ninety-five per cent of them are good and he wouldn't care to cross the border without his gun! Oh, I do wish we'd stayed in Missouri!" "In Missouri I was just a hired man," Mr. Simpson reminded her. "But we always had enough, and we were happy. To give it up and take these awful risks!" "Now, Ann," Cindy's father's voice became firm, "this is the Simpsons' chance, perhaps the only one we'll ever have, to rise in the world. There may be some small risk, but nobody ever gained anything without risking something. Think of the children, and of how much more we'll be able to give them if we have our own farm instead of depending on a hired man's wages." "But there aren't even any schools out there!" "There will be," Jed Simpson said. "Schools will follow on the heels of the settlers. So will roads, towns, and even cities! And do you know who one schoolteacher might be?" "Who?" "Mrs. Jed Simpson." "Jed!" "I mean it, Ann. You're a college graduate. And stop thinking of Oklahoma as an empty wilderness. It may be that now, but within a week it'll be settled. And it will need more than farmers. We'll need doctors, carpenters, storekeepers, and above all, schoolteachers. Working together, with each contributing to the best of his ability, we'll build a new and mighty state!" There was a short silence, and then Ann Simpson spoke again.