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outlay in the hope that a policy of friendship will prove our genuine desire
to benefit that section。
〃'Initial outrage；'〃 quoted one of the agent' large playmates。 〃Ain't they
furgivin'？〃
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃you would have some name for it yourself if you sent a
deputy sheriff to look after your rights； and he came back tied to the cow…
catcher！〃
The man smiled luxuriously over this memory。
〃We didn't hurt him none。 Just returned him to his home。 Hear about
the label Honey Wiggin pinned on to him？ 'Send us along one dozen as
per sample。' Honey's quaint！ Yes；〃 he drawled judicially； 〃I'd be mad at
that。 But if you're making peace with a man because it's convenient why；
your words must be pleasanter than if you really felt pleasant。〃 He took
the paper from me； and read； sardonically： 〃'Subsequent vandalisms 。。。
wasted outlay。' I suppose they run this station from charity to the cattle。
Saves the poor things walking so far to the other railroad 'Policy of
friendship 。。。 genuine desire'oh mouth…wash！〃 And； shaking his bold；
clever head； he daintily flattened the letter upon the head of the agent。
〃Tubercle；〃 said he （this was their name for the agent； who had told all of
us about his lungs）； 〃it ain't your fault we saw their fine letter。 They just
intended you should give it out how they wouldn't bother us any more； and
then we'd act square。 The boys'll sit up late over this joke。〃
Then they tramped to their horses and rode away。 The spokesman had
hit the vital point unerringly； for cow…punchers are shrewdly alive to
frankness； and it often draws out the best that is in them； but its opposite
affects them unfavorably； and I； needing sleep； sighed to think of their late
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sitting up over that joke。 I walked to the board box painted 〃Hotel
Brunswick〃 〃hotel〃 in small italics and 〃Brunswick〃in enormous capitals；
the N and the S wrong side up。
Here sat a girl outside the door； alone。 Her face was broad； wholesome；
and strong； and her eyes alert and sweet。 As I came she met me with a
challenging glance of good…will。 Those women who journeyed along the
line in the wake of payday to traffic with the men employed a stare well
known； but this straight look seemed like the greeting of some pleasant
young cowboy。 In surprise I forgot to be civil； and stepped foolishly by her
to see about supper and lodging。
At the threshold I perceived all lodging bespoken。 On each of the four
beds lay a coat or pistol or other article of dress； and I must lodge myself。
There were my saddle…blanketsrather wet； or Lin McLean might ride in
to…night on his way to Riverside； or perhaps down at the corrals I could
find some other acquaintance whose habit of washing I trusted and whose
bed I might share。 Failing these expedients； several empties stood idle
upon a siding； and the box…like darkness of these freight…cars was timely。
Nights were short now。 Camping out； the dawn by three o'clock would
flow like silver through the universe； and； sinking through my blankets；
remorselessly pervade my buried hair and brain。 But with clean straw in
the bottom of an empty； I could sleep my fill until five or six。 I decided for
the empty； and opened the supper…room door； where the table was set for
more than enough to include me； but the smell of the butter that awaited us
drove me out of the Hotel Brunswick to spend the remaining minutes in
the air。
〃I was expecting you；〃 said the girl。 〃Well； if I haven't frightened
him！〃 She laughed so delightfully that I recovered and laughed too。
〃Why；〃 she explained； 〃I just knew you'd not stay in there。 Which side are
you going to butter your bread this evening？〃
〃You had smelt it？〃 said I； still cloudy with surprise。 〃Yes。
Unquestionably。 Very rancid。〃 She glanced oddly at me； and； with less
fellowship in her tone； said； 〃I was going to warn you〃 when suddenly；
down at the corrals； the boys began to shoot at large。 〃Oh； dear！〃 she cried；
starting up。 〃There's trouble。〃
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〃Not trouble；〃 I assured her。 〃Too many are firing at once to be in
earnest。 And you would be safe here。〃
〃Me？ A lady without escort？ Well； I should reckon so！ Leastways； we
are respected where I was raised。 I was anxious for the gentlemen ovah
yondah。 Shawhan； K。 C。 branch of the Louavull an' Nashvull； is my
home。〃 The words 〃Louisville and Nashville〃 spoke creamily of Blue…
grass。
〃Unescorted all that way！〃 I exclaimed。
〃Isn't it awful？〃 said she； tilting her head with a laugh； and showing
the pistol she carried。 〃But we've always been awful in Kentucky。 Now I
suppose New York would never speak to poor me as it passed by？〃 And
she eyed me with capable； good…humored satire。
〃Why New York？〃 I demanded。 〃Guess again。〃
〃Well；〃 she debated； 〃well； cowboy clothes and city languagehe's
English！〃 she burst out； and then she turned suddenly red； and whispered
to herself； reprovingly； 〃If I'm not acting rude！〃
〃Oh！〃 said I； rather familiarly。
〃It was； sir； and please to excuse me。 If you had started joking so free
with me； I'd have been insulted。 When I saw youthe hat and everything
I took youYou see I've always been that used to talking toto folks
around！〃 Her bright face saddened； memories evidently rose before her；
and her eyes grew distant。
I wished to say； 〃Treat me as 'folks around；'〃 but this tall country girl
had put us on other terms。 On discovering I was not 〃folks around；〃 she
had taken refuge in deriding me； but swiftly feeling no solid ground there；
she drew a firm； clear woman's line between us。 Plainly she was a
comrade of men； in her buoyant innocence secure； yet by no means in the
dark as to them。
〃Yes； unescorted two thousand miles；〃 she resumed； 〃and never as far
as twenty from home till last Tuesday。 I expect you'll have to be
scandalized； for I'd do it right over again to…morrow。〃
〃You've got me all wrong；〃 said I。 〃I'm not English； I'm not New York。
I am good American； and not bounded by my own farm either。 No
sectional line； or Mason and Dixo