Thentheytrampedtotheirhorsesandrodeaway。Thespokesmanhadhitthevitalpointunerringly；forcow-punchersareshrewdlyalivetofrankness，anditoftendrawsoutthebestthatisinthem；butitsoppositeaffectsthemunfavorably；andI，needingsleep，sighedtothinkoftheirlatesittingupoverthatjoke。Iwalkedtotheboardboxpainted“HotelBrunswick“——“hotel“insmallitalicsand“Brunswick“inenormouscapitals，theNandtheSwrongsideup。
Heresatagirloutsidethedoor，alone。Herfacewasbroad，wholesome，andstrong，andhereyesalertandsweet。AsIcameshemetmewithachallengingglanceofgood-will。Thosewomenwhojourneyedalongthelineinthewakeofpaydaytotrafficwiththemenemployedastarewellknown；butthisstraightlookseemedlikethegreetingofsomepleasantyoungcowboy。InsurpriseIforgottobecivil，andsteppedfoolishlybyhertoseeaboutsupperandlodging。
AtthethresholdIperceivedalllodgingbespoken。Oneachofthefourbedslayacoatorpistolorotherarticleofdress，andImustlodgemyself。Thereweremysaddle-blankets——ratherwet；orLinMcLeanmightrideinto-nightonhiswaytoRiverside；orperhapsdownatthecorralsIcouldfindsomeotheracquaintancewhosehabitofwashingItrustedandwhosebedImightshare。Failingtheseexpedients，severalemptiesstoodidleuponasiding，andthebox-likedarknessofthesefreight-carswastimely。Nightswereshortnow。Campingout，thedawnbythreeo’clockwouldflowlikesilverthroughtheuniverse，and，sinkingthroughmyblankets，remorselesslypervademyburiedhairandbrain。Butwithcleanstrawinthebottomofanempty，Icouldsleepmyfilluntilfiveorsix。
Idecidedfortheempty，andopenedthesupper-roomdoor，wherethetablewassetformorethanenoughtoincludeme；butthesmellofthebutterthatawaitedusdrovemeoutoftheHotelBrunswicktospendtheremainingminutesintheair。
“Iwasexpectingyou，“saidthegirl。“Well，ifIhaven’tfrightenedhim!“ShelaughedsodelightfullythatIrecoveredandlaughedtoo。