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Except that his hair was not long； our postmaster might have conducted a
show and minted gold by exhibiting his romantic person before the eyes of
princes。 He began with a black…and…yellow rattlesnake skin for a
hat…band； he continued with a fringed and beaded shirt of buckskin； and
concluded with large； tinkling spurs。 Of course； there were things
between his shirt and his heels； but all leather and deadly weapons。 He
had also a riata； a cuerta； and tapaderos； and frequently employed these
Spanish names for the objects。 I wish that I had not lost Tommy's
photograph in Rocky Mountain costume。 You must understand that he was
really pretty； with blue eyes； ruddy cheeks； and a graceful figure； and；
besides； he had twenty…four hours' start of poor dusty Lin； whose best
clothes were elsewhere。
You might have supposed that it would be Mrs。 Taylor who should present
us to her friend from Sidney； Nebraska； but Tommy on his horse undertook
the office before the wagon had well come to a standstill。 〃Good friends
of mine； and gentlemen； both；〃 said he to Miss Peck； and to us； 〃A lady
whose acquaintance will prove a treat to our section。〃
We all bowed at each other beneath the florid expanse of these
recommendations； and I was proceeding to murmur something about its being
a long journey and a fine day when Miss Peck cut me short； gaily：
〃Well；〃 she exclaimed to Tommy； 〃I guess I'm pretty near ready for them
eggs you've spoke so much about。〃
I have not often seen Mr。 McLean lose his presence of mind。 He needed
merely to exclaim； 〃Why； Tommy； you told me your hens had not been laying
since Christmas！〃 and we could have sat quiet and let Tommy try to find
all the eggs that he could。 But the new girl was a sore embarrassment to
the cow…puncher's wits。 Poor Lin stood by the wheels of the wagon。 He
looked up at Miss Peck； he looked over at Tommy； his features assumed a
rueful expression； and he wretchedly blurted；
〃Why； Tommy； I've been and eat 'em。〃
〃Well； if that ain't！〃 cried Miss Peck。 She stared with interest at Lin
as he now assisted her to descend。
〃All？〃 faltered Tommy。 〃Not the four nests？〃
〃I've had three meals； yu' know；〃 Lin reminded him； deprecatingly。
〃I helped him；〃 said I。 〃Ten innocent； fresh eggs。 But we have left some
ham。 Forgive us； please。〃
〃I declare！〃 said Miss Peck； abruptly； and rolled her sluggish； inviting
eyes upon me。 〃You're a case； too； I expect。〃
But she took only brief note of me； although it was from head to foot。 In
her stare the dull shine of familiarity grew vacant； and she turned back
to Lin McLean。 〃You carry that；〃 said she； and gave the pleased
cow…puncher a hand valise。
〃I'll look after your things； Miss Peck；〃 called Tommy； now springing
down from his horse。 The egg tragedy had momentarily stunned him。
〃You'll attend to the mail first； Mr。 Postmaster！〃 said the lady； but
favoring him with a look from her large eyes。 〃There's plenty of
gentlemen here。〃 With that her glance favored Lin。 She went into the
cabin； he following her close； with the Taylors and myself in the rear。
〃Well； I guess I'm about collapsed！〃 said she； vigorously； and sank upon
one of Tommy's chairs。
The fragile article fell into sticks beneath her； and Lin leaped to her
assistance。 He placed her upon a firmer foundation。 Mrs。 Taylor brought a
basin and towel to bathe the dust from her face； Mr。 Taylor produced
whiskey； and I found sugar and hot water。 Tommy would doubtless have done
something in the way of assistance or restoratives； but he was gone to
the stable with the horses。
〃Shall I get your medicine from the valise； deary？〃 inquired Mrs。 Taylor。
〃Not now；〃 her visitor answered； and I wondered why she should take such
a quick look at me。
〃We'll soon have yu' independent of medicine；〃 said Lin； gallantly。 〃Our
climate and scenery here has frequently raised the dead。〃
〃You're a case； anyway！〃 exclaimed the sick lady with rich conviction。
The cow…puncher now sat himself on the edge of Tommy's bed； and； throwing
one leg across the other； began to raise her spirits with cheerful talk。
She steadily watched himhis face sometimes； sometimes his lounging；
masculine figure。 While he thus devoted his attentions to her； Taylor
departed to help Tommy at the stable； and good Mrs。 Taylor； busy with
supper for all of us in the kitchen； expressed her joy at having her old
friend of childhood for a visit after so many years。
〃Sickness has changed poor Katie some；〃 said she。 〃But I'm hoping she'll
get back her looks on Bear Creek。〃
〃She seems less feeble than I had understood；〃 I remarked。
〃Yes； indeed！ I do believe she's feeling stronger。 She was that tired and
down yesterday with the long stage…ride； and it is so lonesome！ But
Taylor and I heartened her up； and Tommy came with the mail； and to…day
she's real spruced…up like； feeling she's among friends。〃
〃How long will she stay？〃 I inquired。
〃Just as long as ever she wants！ Me and Katie hasn't met since we was
young girls in Dubuque； for I left home when I married Taylor； and he
brought me to this country right soon； and it ain't been like Dubuque
much； though if I had it to do over again I'd do just the same； as Taylor
knows。 Katie and me hasn't wrote even； not till this February； for you
always mean to and you don't。 Well； it'll be like old times。 Katie'll be
most thirty…four； I expect。 Yes。 I was seventeen and she was sixteen the
very month I was married。 Poor thing！ She ought to have got some good man
for a husband； but I expect she didn't have any chance； for there was a
big fam'ly o' them girls； and old Peck used to act real scandalous；
getting drunk so folks didn't visit there evenings scarcely at all。 And
so she quit home； it seems； and got a position in the railroad
eating…house at Sidney； and now she has poor health with feeding them big
trains day and night。〃
〃A biscuit…shooter！〃 said I。
Loyal Mrs。 Taylor stirred some batter in silence。 〃Well；〃 said she then；
〃I'm told that's what the yard…hands of the railroad call them poor
waiter…girls。 You might hear it around the switches at them division
stations。〃
I had heard it in higher places also； but meekly accepted the reproof。
If you have made your trans…Missouri journeys only since the new era of
dining…cars； there is a quantity of things you have come too late for；
and will never know。 Three times a day in the brave days of old you
sprang from your scarce…halted car at the summons of a gong。 You
discerned by instinct the right direction； and； passing steadily through
doorways； had taken； before you knew it； one of some sixty chairs in a
room of tables and catsup bottles。 Behind the chairs； standing attention；
a platoon of Amazons； thick…wristed； pink…and…blue； began immediately a
swift chant。 It hymned the total bill…of…fare at a blow。 In this
inexpressible ceremony the name of every dish went hurtling into the
next； telescoped to shapelessness。 Moreover； if you stopped your Amazon
in the middle； it dislocated her； and she merely went back and took a
fresh start。 The chant was always the same； but you never learned it。 As
soon as it began； your mind snapped shut like the upper berth in a
Pullman。 You must have uttered appropriate wordseven a parrot willfor
next you were eating thingspie； ham； hot cakesas fast as you could。
Twenty minutes of swallowing； and all aboard for Ogden； with your
pile…driven stomach dumb with amazement。 The Strasburg goose is not
dieted with greater velocity； and 〃biscuit…shooter〃 is a grand word。 Very
likely some Homer of the railroad yards first said itfor what men upon
the present earth so speak with imagination's tongue as we Americans？
If Miss Peck had been a biscuit…shooter； I could account readily for her
conversation； her equipped deportment； the maturity in her round； blue；
marble eye。 Her abrupt laugh； something beyond gay； was now sounding in
response to Mr。 McLean's lively sallies； and I found him fanning her into
convalescence with his hat。 She herself made but few remarks； but allowed
the cow…puncher to entertain her； merely exclaiming briefly now and then；
〃I declare！〃 and 〃If you ain't！〃 Lin was most certainly engaging； if that
was the lady's meaning。 His wide…open eyes sparkled upon her； and he half
closed them now and then to look at her more effectively。 I suppose she
was worth it to him。 I have forgotten to say that she was handsome in a
large California…fruit style。 They made a good…looking pair of animals。
But it was in the presence of Tommy that Master Lin shone more
energetically than ever； and under such shining Tommy was transparently
restless。 He tried； and failed； to bring the conversation his way； and
took to rearranging the mail and the furniture。
〃Supper's ready；〃 he said； at length。 〃Come right in； Miss Peck； right in
here。 This is your seatthis one； please。 Now you can see