I nodded; rebuffing his eyes I stuffed the envelope into my pantaloons pocket.  
“Good-bye, sir.”
 
“Good luck. When you come back remember the Queen.”
 
“I’ll remember the Queen,” said I; and with the envelope smirching my flesh I stepped out, holding my head as high as though my pockets contained something of more value.
 
The events of yesterday had hardened, thank Heaven; and so had I, into an that defied this mocking Western country. I was down to the ground and was going to scratch. To make for home like a whipped dog, there to hang about, probably become an and die resistless, was unthinkable. Already the Far West air and had worked a change in me. In the fresh morning I felt like a fighting cock, or a runner recruited by a diet of unbolted flour and strong red meat.
 
The falsity of the life here I looked upon as only an incident. The gay tawdry had faded; I realized how much more enduring were the rough, 146but genuine products like my friend Mr. Jenks and those of that ilk, who me well instead of merely fair. Health of mind and body should be for me. !
 
But the note! It could have been sent by only one person—the superscription, dainty and feminine, betrayed it. That woman was still pursuing me. How she had found out my name I did not know; perhaps from the label on my bag, perhaps through the hotel register. I did not recall having exchanged names with her—she never had her own name. At all events she appeared to keep a hold upon me, and that was disgusting.
 
Couldn’t she understand that I was no longer a fool—that I had absolutely loose from her and that she could do nothing with me? So in renewed by her poor estimate of my common sense I was minded to tear the note to fragments, unread, and contemptuously them. Had she been present I should have done so, to show her.
 
Being denied the satisfaction I saw no profit in wasting that of spleen, when I might double it by reading her effusion and knowingly casting it into the dust. One always can make excuses to oneself, for curiosity. Consequently I halted, around a corner in this Benton; tore the envelope open with gingerly touch. The folded paper within contained a five-dollar bank note.
 
That was enough to pump the blood to my face with a rush. It was an insult—a shame, first hand. A shoddy plaster, to me—to me, Frank Beeson, a gentleman, whether to be viewed as a plucked greenhorn or not. With cheeks I managed to read the lines accompanying the :
 
Sir:
 
You would not permit me to explain to you to-night, therefore I must write. The recent affair was a mistake. I had no intention that you should lose, and I supposed you were in more funds. I insist upon speaking with you. You shall not go away in this fashion. You will find me at the Café, at a table, at ten o’clock in the morning. And in case you are a little short I beg of you to make use of the enclosed, with my best wishes and apologies. You may take it as a loan; I do not care as to that. I am .
 
E.
 
    To Frank Beeson, Esquire.
 
Faugh! Had there been a near I believe that I should have thrown the whole enclosure in, and . But half unconsciously wadding both money and paper in my hand as if to squeeze the last drop of from them I swung on, seeing blindly, ready to under foot any last obstacle to my passage out.
 
Then, in the way, from a lane among the straggling , a figure issued. I disregarded it, only to hear it pattering behind me and its voice:
 
“Mr. Beeson! Wait! Please wait.”
 
I had to turn about to avoid the further of the to her, an inferior. And as I had suspected, she it was, arriving breathless and cloak inwrapped, only her white face showing.
 
“You have my note?” she panted.
 
There were dark half circles under her eyes, pinch lines about her mouth, all her face was wildly strained. She simulated very well indeed.
 
“Here it is, and your money. Take them.” And I thrust my unclosed fist at her.
 
“No! And you were going? You didn’t intend to reply?”
 
“Certainly not. I am done with you, and with Benton, madam. Good-morning. I have business.”
 
She caught at my sleeve.
 
“You are angry. I don’t blame you, but you have time to talk with me and you shall talk.” She spoke almost fiercely. “I demand it, sir. If not at the café, then here and now. Will you stand aside, please, where the whole town shan’t see us; or do you wish me to follow you on? I’m risking already, but I’ll risk more.”
 
I stepped aside, around the corner of a sheet-iron groggery (plentifully , I , with bullet holes) not yet open for business and faced by the blank wall of a .
 
“I’ve been waiting since daylight,” she panted, “and watching the hotel. I knew you were still there; I found out. I was afraid you wouldn’t answer 149my note, so I slipped around and cut in on you. Where are you going, sir?”
 
“That, madam, is my private affair,” I replied. “And all your efforts to influence me in the slightest won’t amount to a row of pins. And as I am in a hurry, I again bid you good-morning. I advise you to get back to your husband and your beauty sleep, in order to be fresh for your Big Tent to-night.”
 
“My husband? You know? Oh, of course you know.” She gazed affrightedly upon me. “To Montoyo, you say? Him? No, no! I can’t! Oh, I can’t, I can’t.” She her hands, she held me fast. “And I know where you’re going. To that train. Mr. Jenks has engaged you. You will bull-whack to Salt Lake? You? Don’t! Please don’t. There’s no need of it.”
 
“I am done with Benton, and with Benton’s society, madam,” I insisted. “I have learned my lesson, believe me, and I’m no longer a ‘gudgeon.’”
 
“You never were,” said she. “Not that. And you don’t have to turn bull-whacker or -skinner either. It’s a hard life; you’re not fitted for it—never, never. Leave Benton if you will. I hate it myself. And let us go together.”
 
“Madam!” I rapped; and drew back, but she clung to me.
 
“Listen, listen! Don’t mistake me again. Last night was enough. I want to go. I must go. We 150can travel separately, then; I will meet you anywhere—Denver, Omaha, Chicago, New York, anywhere you say—anywhere——”
 
“Your husband, madam,” I prompted. “He might have objections to parting with you.”
 
“Montoyo? That snake—you fear that snake? He is no husband to me. I could kill him—I will do it yet, to be free from him.”
 
“My good name, then,” I . “I might fear for my good name more than I’d fear a man.”
 
“I have a name of my own,” she flashed, “although you may not know it.”
 
“I have been made acquainted with it,” I answered roundly.
 
“No, you haven’t. Not the true. You know only another.” Her tone became humbler. “But I’m not asking you to marry me,” she said. “I’m not asking you to love me as a paramour, sir. Please understand. Treat me as you will; as a sister, a friend, but anything human. Only let me have your decent regard until I can get ’stablished in new quarters. I can help you,” she pursued eagerly. “Indeed I can help you if you stay in the West. Yes, anywhere, for I know life. Oh, I’m so tired of myself; I can’t run true, I’m under false colors. You saw how the trainmen favor all along the line, how familiar they were, how I submitted—I even dropped that coin a-purpose in the Omaha station, for you, just to test you. Those things are expected of me and I’ve felt 151obliged to play my part. Men look upon me as a tool to their hands, to make them or break them. All they want is my and the secrets of the gaming table. And there is Montoyo—bullying me, cajoling me, watching me. But you were different, after I had met you. I foolishly wished to help you, and last night the play went wrong. Why did I take you to his table? Because I think myself entitled, sir,” she said on, a little, of my gaze, “to promote my friends when I have any. I did not mean that you should heavily for you. Montoyo is out for large stakes. There is safety in small and I know his system. You remember I warned you? I did warn you. I saw too late. You shall have all your money back again. And Montoyo struck me—me, in public! That is the end. Oh, why couldn’t I have killed him? But if you stayed here, so should I. Not with him, though. Never with him. Maybe I’m talking wildly. You’ll say I’m in love with you. Perhaps I am—quién sabe? No matter as to that. I shall be no hanger-on, sir. I only ask a kind of partnership—the encouragement of some decent man near me. I have money; plenty, till we both get a footing. But you wouldn’t live on me; no! I don’t fancy that of you for a moment. I would be glad merely to tide you over, if you’d let me. And I—I’d be willing to wash floors in a restaurant if I might be free of insult. You, I’m sure, would at least protect me. Wouldn’t you? You would, wouldn’t you? Say something, sir.” She paused, out of breath and aquiver. “Shall we go? Will you help me?”
 
For an instant her appeal, of swimming blue eyes, upturned face, tensed grasp, breaking voice, swayed me. But what if she were an actress, an adventuress? And then, my parents, my father’s name! I had already been cozened once, I had resolved not to be again. The spell cleared and I drew breath.
 
“Impossible, madam,” I uttered. “This is final. Good-morning.”
 
She staggered and with magnificent but last flourish clapped both hands to her face. Gazing back, as I hastened, I saw her still there, leaning against the sheet-iron of the groggery and ostensibly weeping.
 
Having shaken her off and resisted contrary temptation I looked not again but paced rapidly for the clean atmosphere of the rough-and-honest bull train. As a companion, better for me Mr. Jenks. When my wrath cooled I felt that I might have acted the cad but I had not acted the simpleton.
 
The advance of the day’s life was stirring all along the road, where under clouds of dust the four and six horse-and-mule hauled water for the town, pack of donkeys and miners wended one way or the other, soldiers in from the military post, and Overlanders slowly for the last supply before creaking into the desert.
 
Along the railway grade likewise there was activity, 153of construction trains high with rails, ties, boxes and bales, out, their locomotives pitchy black smoke that extended clear to the ridiculous little cabooses; of wagon trains ploughing on, bearing supplies for the grading camps; and a great of loose animals, raising a spume as they were driven at a trot—they also heading , ever westward, under escort of a protecting detachment of , riding two by two, accoutrements flashing.
 
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