e marched over to the door. She flung it open. The man started back.
He was holding an electric, torch. She could not see him, but to the
hovering ball of light she remarked, "Two men, friends of mine, are
below, by their car. You will go at once, or I'll call them. If you
think I am bluffing, go down and look. Good night!"

CHAPTER XX

THE FREE WOMAN

Before breakfast, Claire darted down to the hotel yard. She beamed at
Milt, who was lacing a rawhide patch on a tire, before she remembered
that they were not on speaking terms. They both looked extremely
sheepish and young. It was Pinky Parrott who was the social lubricant.
Pinky was always on speaking terms with everybody. "Ah, here she is! The
little lady of the mutinous eyes! Our colonel of the flivver hussars!"

But he got no credit. Milt straightened up and lumbered, "Hel-lo!"

She peeped at him and whispered, "Hel-lo!"

"Say, oh please, Claire---- I didn't mean----"

"Oh, I know! Let's--let's go have breakfast."

"Was awfully afraid you'd think we were fresh, but when we came in last
night, and saw your car--didn't like the looks of the hotel much, and
thought we'd stick around."

"I'm so glad. Oh, Milt--yes, and you, Mr. Parrott--will you
whip--lick--beat up--however you want to say it--somebody for me?"

With one glad communal smile Milt and Pinky curved up their wrists and
made motions as of pulling up their sleeves.

"But not unless I say so. I want to be a Citizeness Fixit. I've been
good for so long. But now----"

"Show him to me!" and "Up, lads, and atum!" responded her squad.

"Not till after breakfast."

It was a sufficiently vile breakfast, at the Tavern. The feature was
curious cakes whose interior was raw creepy dough. A dozen skilled
workmen were at the same long table with Claire, Milt, Pinky, and Mr.
Boltwood--the last two of whom were polite and scenically descriptive to
each other, but portentously silent about gold-mines. The landlady and a
slavey waited on table; the landlord could be seen loafing in the
kitchen.

Toward the end of the meal Claire insultingly crooked her finger at the
landlady and said, "Come here, woman."

The landlady stared, then ignored her.

"Very well. Then I'll say it publicly!" Claire swept the workmen with an
affectionate smile. "Gentlemen of Pellago, I want you to know from one
of the poor tourists who have been cheated at this nasty place that we
depend on you to do something. This woman an