- you know , lone , i have a feeling that youve not been entirely straight with me . dash sat himself down , dropping his cowboy hat on the counter beside him . `` actually , '' he said , `` i was on my way to meet the neighbors . '' `` he always had something to say . '' i asked , noticing a rider gingerly climbing into the chute and atop an enormous beast . why would you move closer to st. louis now ? he looked back again , his eyes wide with terror . 