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           Goodstockmenwereeasytocomeby,andPaddyhadninesinglemenonhisbooksintheoldjackaroobarracks,soStuartcouldbesparedfromthepaddocks.Feestoppedkeepingcashlyingabout,andhadStuartmakeacamouflagedcupboardforthesafebehindthechapelaltar.Fewoftheswaggieswerebadmen.Badmenpreferredtostayinthecitiesandthebigcountrytowns,forlifeonthetrackwastoopure,toolonelyandscantofpickingsforbadmen.YetnooneblamedPaddyfornotwantingtotakechanceswithhiswomen;Droghedawasaveryfamousname,andmightconceivablyattractwhatfewundesirablestherewereonthetrack.

           Thatwinterbroughtbadstorms,somedry,somewet,andthefollowingspringandsummerbroughtrainsoheavythatDroghedagrassgrewlusherandlongerthanever.

           JimsandPatsywereplowingthroughtheircorrespondencelessonsatMrs.Smith’skitchentable,andchatterednowofwhatitwouldbelikewhenitwastimetogotoRiverview,theirboardingschool.ButMrs.SmithwouldgrowsosharpandsouratsuchtalkthattheylearnednottospeakofleavingDroghedawhenshewaswithinhearingdistance.

           Thedryweathercameback;thethigh-highgrassdriedoutcompletelyandbakedtoasilvercrispinarainlesssummer.Inuredbytenyearsoftheblack-soilplainstothehey-ho,upwego,hey-ho,downwegooscillationsofdroughtandflood,themenshruggedandwentabouteachdayasifitweretheonlyonethatcouldevermatter.