Desert Dust

E IN

and I sat down in my own seat, to keep expectant eye upon her profile-a decided relief amidst th

ngly. My Lady, he said, would prove a valuable friend in Benton. A friend

stooped familiarly over the barricade and

utes for breakfast!" the br

nse to the proffered arm of the conductor, and I was late. The aisle filled between us as he us

quatting here near a rock quarry that broke the expanse of uninhabited brown plains. The air, however, was wonderfully invigorating; the meal excellent

p with her. She face

tly accused. "We might have breakfasted togeth

dvantage over me, in anticipating events. But the next meal

r, yes; at

that you wi

with a little pucke

At B

s now home. We have moved so frequently tha

happen, with a flexible business," I hazarded

ngs up, you know, at each terminus, booms as long as the freight and passengers pile up-and all of a sudden the go-ahead business and p

uaintance along the line. Th

expected. I have no objections to that. I

pocket of his sagging jeans, a large revolver dangling at his thigh, his slouch hat cocked rakishly upon his tousled head. His language was extremely offensive-he had an

us, and s

o, stranger. Have a smile. Take two, one for

k. I civilly dec

u. I do n

Too tony, eh? Too-'ic! Have a smile, I ask you, one gent to 'noth

erposed sharply. "If you want to

, the passengers were hurrying, incited

cheers he undoubtedly made in the same direction. I was barely in time myself. The train moved as I planted foot upon the steps of the nearest car-the foremost of the two. The train co

was en

m?" she inquired

he neck. The drunke

s;

now hi

e he's been down here on a

I made bold to suggest, for I gr

do sit down. You can put these things

led through, his face in a broad grin. He also paused, to perc

claimed needlessly. "That t'rantular

s bottle away, J

he's inclined to be a trifle ugly when he's on a tear, ain't he? They

afe, yo

night." The brakeman winked at her. "You needn't

n that I'm not afraid,"

der and good-naturedly straightened. "So does this young gentleman, I rather suspicion. I ca

," she reproved. "The gentleman and

one-blowed up, busted worse'n a galvanized Yank with a pocket full o' Confed wall-paper." He yawned. "

with Indians, sir, alo

's about time they were wrecking another train. Well, so long. Be good

tly," I hazarded, to tide her

rassed at all, which proved her good sense

ept 42 that his tongue is hung in the middle. H

tern expressions are beyond me as yet. In fact, what he was

t? In what

he moon, as I recall; and to a mysterious 'sy

er chin set as if tautened by iron band

-jaw! He's altogether too free." She surveyed me keen

yed bantering me. But," I hastily placated in his behalf, "he recommended Benton as a li

d. "Indeed? To what extent? Are you g

t investment of some nature. And before my 43 traveling funds run out I shall be glad of light employment.

he leaned to me; a glow emanated from her. "Tell me of yourself. You have red blood? Do you ever game? For if you are not afraid to test your luck and back

f derisive lips? "As for gaming-if you mean cards, why, I have played at piquet and romp, in a soci

. I can see it

is journey,"

blus

hoose to make use of your luc

n the forward part of the car. That same drunken wretch Jim had appeared; his bottle (so

asion-'ic! Ever'body smile. Drink to op'nin' gloryus Pac'fic-'ic-Railway. Thash it. Hooray!" Thus he came ree

ttle gasp, as she sat more erect; and here he was, espying us readily en

ion; gotto smile now. Yep. 'Ic! 'Ray for Bento

she ordered tensely. "Go back,

end? Shay!" He reeled and gripped the seat, flooding me with his vile breath. "By Gawd, I got the de

whip-lash at the close; she had made sudden movement of hand-it was extended and I saw almost under my nose the smallest pistol imaginable;

to take care of herself. Stil

"No matter. I'

redder rage, his mouth opened as if for fresh ab

belong, you

was not conscious of having exerted much force he toppled backward clear across the aisle, crashed down in a heap under the op

e was a flurry, a chorus of shouts, men leaped between us, the brakeman and conductor both had arrived, in a jiffy he was being hustled forwa

ations ec

ight s

rn him to in

him up, stranger. Sq

e, Mi

you're consider

ill, I reckon, lady. I know yore kind.

a terrib

rd her, as she sat composedly, scarcely p

with a flash of lucent eyes and a dimpling smile, "Jim has lost his whiskey and has a chance to sobe

tammered. "I was quite able to tend t

ened. "And I'd kill him 47 like a dog if he presumed farther. In this countr

oom, to sweep up the chips of b

ceful as a baby. We took his gun off him. I'll pass

ave no more trouble with him, for he might not

nglefoot went to his head. Looks now as if he'd been kicked in the face by a mule. Haw haw! No offense, friend.

h a nod. "I regret this scene-I couldn't help it, though, of cours

ets that he had applied. I admired her

made so," I consoled her. "Possibly I should not have struck him. In the 48

heartily. Still"-and she mused-"you can't always depend on y

. "My teaching has been that a man s

reach Benton. Fists are a short-range weapon. The m

too, if I may

re likely to do well, out here, if you

l," I accepted. "I may call upon you in Bento

ifficulty finding me; not in Benton. But I'll make an appointment with y

women, madam," said I. "And my

sed her. "You have been car

athe," I asserted. "My mother is a saint, my father a noblema

est favor the Persian maxim-to ride, to shoot, and to tell the truth.

ted. "At least," and I endeavored to speak with proper emphasis, "you hear the tru

ture in another 'smile' together," she sly

he country," I assured. "I certainly am not

s and leading ever onward across the vast, empty plains bare save for the low shrubs cal

located upon a dreary flatness, although from it one might see, far southwest, the actual Rocky Mountains in Colorado Territory, looking, at this distan

bitants; but the majority had followed the railroad west, so that now t

When we were halted, upon the crown, at Sherman Station, to permit us to alight and see for ourselves, I scarcely might believe that we were more than eight thousand feet in air

is country made light of the spot; the strangers on tour picked flowers and gathered rocks as mementoes of the "Crest of the Continent"-which was not a crest but rather a level 51

creasing in grandeur and interest, and the play of my charming companion woul

the train. Laramie, according to My Lady, also once had been, as she styled it, "a live town," but had deceased in favor of Benton. From Laramie we whirled northwest, thro

all engrossing, and my heart beat high with youth and romance. Our passage was astonishingly short, but the sun

paused at a military post, and entered 52 upon a stretch of sun

through every crevice by the stir of the wheels-already mobile as it was from the efforts of the teams that we passed,

minutes. End o' track,

lise,

the other officials knew My Lady, push

ut," he announc

privilege," I interposed

d. I shall need no other help-I'm perfectl

't know your address; fact is, I'm even ign

t and low, over her shoulder. "To-nig

sed af

all I inquire the

rybody knows the Big Tent, ever

ngings before following. The Big Tent, she said? I had not misunderstood; and I pu

a jerk, amidst a

t we stumbled. Here I