verely.

Sally laughed. "Well," she replied, "I'd quit driving if I couldn't
handle any team you or Haslem could put the harness on."

The hotels in the smaller prairie settlements offer one very little
comfort or privacy. As a rule they contain two general rooms, in one of
which the three daily meals are served with a punctuality which is as
unvarying as the menu. The traveler who arrives a few minutes too late
for one meal must wait until the next is ready. The second room usually
contains a rusty stove, and a few uncomfortable benches; and there are
not infrequently a couple of rows of very small match-boarded cubicles
on the floor overhead. The Occident was, however, a notable exception.
For one thing, the building was unusually large, and its proprietor had
condescended to study the requirements of his guests, who came from the
outlying settlements. There were two rooms above the general lounging
place on the first floor, one of which was reserved for the wives and
daughters of the farmers who drove in long distances to purchase stores
or clothing. In the other, dry-goods traveling men were permitted to
display their wares, and privileged customers who wished to leave by a
train, the departure of which did not correspond with the hotel
arrangements, were occasionally supplied with meals.

It was getting dusk when Hawtrey and Sally entered the first of the two
rooms, where the proprietor's wife was just lighting the big lamp. The
woman smiled at Gregory, who was a favorite of hers.

"Go right along, and I'll bring your supper up in a minute or two," she
said. "I guess you'll want it after your drive."

Hawtrey strode on down a short corridor towards the second room, but
Sally stopped behind him a moment.

"Is Hastings in town?" she asked. "I thought I saw his new wagon
outside."

"His wife is," said the other woman. "She and Miss Ismay drove in to buy
some things."

Sally asked no further questions. It was evident that Mrs. Hastings
would not start home until after supper, and as the regular hour meal
would be ready in about half an hour it seemed certain that she would
come back to the hotel very shortly. That left Sally very little time,
for she had no desire that Hawtrey should meet either Mrs. Hastings or
Agatha until she had carried out the purpose she had in hand. It was at
Gregory's special request that she had permitted him to drive in to see
her off, and she meant to make the most of the opportunit