n, spoke of "heving ut oudt mit Cudder, bei Gott," while
Osterman, standing on a chair at the end of the room, shouted for a
"few moments quiet, gentlemen," so that he might tell a certain story
he knew. But, abruptly, Annixter discovered that the liquors--the
champagne, whiskey, brandy, and the like--were running low. This would
never do. He felt that he would stand disgraced if it could be
said afterward that he had not provided sufficient drink at his
entertainment. He slipped out, unobserved, and, finding two of his ranch
hands near the doorway, sent them down to the ranch house to bring up
all the cases of "stuff" they found there.

However, when this matter had been attended to, Annixter did not
immediately return to the harness room. On the floor of the barn a
square dance was under way, the leader of the City Band calling the
figures. Young Vacca indefatigably continued the rounds of the barn,
paring candle after candle, possessed with this single idea of duty,
pushing the dancers out of his way, refusing to admit that the floor was
yet sufficiently slippery. The druggist had returned indoors, and leaned
dejected and melancholy against the wall near the doorway, unable to
dance, his evening's enjoyment spoiled. The gayly apparelled clerk from
Bonneville had just involved himself in a deplorable incident. In a
search for his handkerchief, which he had lost while trying to find his
programme card, he had inadvertently wandered into the feed room, set
apart as the ladies' dressing room, at the moment when Mrs. Hooven,
having removed the waist of Minna's dress, was relacing her corsets.
There was a tremendous scene. The clerk was ejected forcibly, Mrs.
Hooven filling all the neighbourhood with shrill expostulation. A young
man, Minna's "partner," who stood near the feed room door, waiting for
her to come out, had invited the clerk, with elaborate sarcasm, to step
outside for a moment; and the clerk, breathless, stupefied, hustled from
hand to hand, remained petrified, with staring eyes, turning about and
about, looking wildly from face to face, speechless, witless, wondering
what had happened.

But the square dance was over. The City Band was just beginning to play
a waltz. Annixter assuring himself that everything was going all right,
was picking his way across the floor, when he came upon Hilma Tree quite
alone, and looking anxiously among the crowd of dancers.

"Having a good time, Miss Hilma?" he demanded, pau