ed me a 'steer.'"

Her face hardened remarkably, so that her chin set as if tautened by iron
bands. Those eyes glinted with real menace.

"He did, did he? Along that line of talk! The clapper-jaw! He's altogether
too free." She surveyed me keenly. "And naturally you couldn't understand
such lingo."

"I was not curious enough to try, my dear madam. He talked rather at
random; likely enjoyed bantering me. But," I hastily placated in his
behalf, "he recommended Benton as a lively place, and you as a friend of
value in case that you honored me with your patronage."

"My patronage, for you?" she exclaimed. "Indeed? To what extent? Are you
going into business, too? As one of--us?"

"If I should become a Bentonite, as I hope," I gallantly replied, "then of
course I should look to permanent investment of some nature. And before my
traveling funds run out I shall be glad of light employment. The brakeman
gave me to understand merely that by your kindly interest you might be
disposed to assist me."

"Oh!" Her face lightened. "I dare say Jerry means well. But when you spoke
of 'patronage'---- That is a current term of certain import along the
railroad." She 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 it, there is money to be made very easily at
Benton, and in a genteel way." She smiled bewitchingly. "Or are you a
Quaker, to whom life is deadly serious?"

"No Quaker, madam." How could I respond otherwise to that pair of dancing
blue eyes, to that pair of derisive lips? "As for gaming--if you mean
cards, why, I have played at piquet and romp, in a social way, for small
stakes; and my father brought Old Sledge back from the army, to the family
table."

"You are lucky. I can see it," she alleged.

"I am, on this journey," I asserted.

She blushed.

"Well said, sir. And if you choose to make use of your luck, in Benton, by
all means----"

Whether she would have shaped her import clearly I did not know. There was
a commotion in the forward part of the car. That same drunken wretch Jim
had appeared; his bottle (somehow restored to him) in hand, his hat
pushed back from his flushed greasy forehead.

"Have a smile, ladies an' gents," he was bellowing thickly. "Hooray! Have
a smile on me. Great an' gloryus 'casion--'ic! Ever'body smile. Drink to
op'nin' gloryus Pac'fic--'ic--Railway. Thash it. Hooray!" Thus he came
r