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Show Nettie, Page 23 Nettie squirmed and wiggled, anxious to have church over. When it was, Papa gathered with a few of the other men in the ward. Mama called the children to walk home with her, but Nettie kept looking back at the knot of men clustered in front of the ward building. She ached to hear what they were saying. She was sure it was about the move. "Jeannette, please stop walking backward. You'll only fall." "Mama, are we going to the Big Horn? Are we, Mama?" "Hush, child. You'll know when we've decided," Mama kept walking. But there was no doubt in Nettie's mind when Mama began gathering clothes and household goods and making neat stacks in the corners of the house. By the time Nettie's baptismal day arrived, their departure was only days away. And before she could really take it all in, Nettie found herself in the buckboard, riding into Ham's Fork. No more than a stopping place in the trail near Kemmerer, Wyoming, it was nevertheless a gathering place for the Saints who were forming the companies to settle in northern Wyoming. Nettie gripped the back of the buckboard with both hands and with eyes opened wide took everything in. Four days' journey from Almy, Kemmerer was at least on a well-travelled trail and the wagons had little trouble making fairly good time. Nettie had walked as much as ridden for sitting still was nearly impossible when she was so excited. They rumbled on, staying with the trail until they found the spot designated for their meeting with the other wagons. Several had already arrived and were perched expectantly near one another in a large, flat area at the base of Round Mountain. It was dry-looking country, sage- |
