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〃How long will she stay？〃 I inquired。
〃Just as long as ever she wants！ Me and Katie hasn't met since we was
young girls in Dubuque； for I left home when I married Taylor； and he
brought me to this country right soon； and it ain't been like Dubuque
much； though if I had it to do over again I'd do just the same； as Taylor
knows。 Katie and me hasn't wrote even； not till this February； for you
always mean to and you don't。 Well； it'll be like old times。 Katie'll be
most thirty…four； I expect。 Yes。 I was seventeen and she was sixteen the
very month I was married。 Poor thing！ She ought to have got some good man
for a husband； but I expect she didn't have any chance； for there was a
big fam'ly o' them girls； and old Peck used to act real scandalous；
getting drunk so folks didn't visit there evenings scarcely at all。 And
so she quit home； it seems； and got a position in the railroad
eating…house at Sidney； and now she has poor health with feeding them big
trains day and night。〃
〃A biscuit…shooter！〃 said I。
Loyal Mrs。 Taylor stirred some batter in silence。 〃Well；〃 said she then；
〃I'm told that's what the yard…hands of the railroad call them poor
waiter…girls。 You might hear it around the switches at them division
stations。〃
I had heard it in higher places also； but meekly accepted the reproof。
If you have made your trans…Missouri journeys only since the new era of
dining…cars； there is a quantity of things you have come too late for；
and will never know。 Three times a day in the brave days of old you
sprang from your scarce…halted car at the summons of a gong。 You
discerned by instinct the right direction； and； passing steadily through
doorways； had taken； before you knew it； one of some sixty chairs in a
room of tables and catsup bottles。 Behind the chairs； standing attention；
a platoon of Amazons； thick…wristed； pink…and…blue； began immediately a
swift chant。 It hymned the total bill…of…fare at a blow。 In this
inexpressible ceremony the name of every dish went hurtling into the
next； telescoped to shapelessness。 Moreover； if you stopped your Amazon
in the middle； it dislocated her； and she merely went back and took a
fresh start。 The chant was always the same； but you never learned it。 As
soon as it began； your mind snapped shut like the upper berth in a
Pullman。 You must have uttered appropriate wordseven a parrot willfor
next you were eating thingspie； ham； hot cakesas fast as you could。
Twenty minutes of swallowing； and all aboard for Ogden； with your
pile…driven stomach dumb with amazement。 The Strasburg goose is not
dieted with greater velocity； and 〃biscuit…shooter〃 is a grand word。 Very
likely some Homer of the railroad yards first said itfor what men upon
the present earth so speak with imagination's tongue as we Americans？
If Miss Peck had been a biscuit…shooter； I could account readily for her
conversation； her equipped deportment； the maturity in her round； blue；
marble eye。 Her abrupt laugh； something beyond gay； was now sounding in
response to Mr。 McLean's lively sallies； and I found him fanning her into
convalescence with his hat。 She herself made but few remarks； but allowed
the cow…puncher to entertain her； merely exclaiming briefly now and then；
〃I declare！〃 and 〃If you ain't！〃 Lin was most certainly engaging； if that
was the lady's meaning。 His wide…open eyes sparkled upon her； and he half
closed them now and then to look at her more effectively。 I suppose she
was worth it to him。 I have forgotten to say that she was handsome in a
large California…fruit style。 They made a good…looking pair of animals。
But it was in the presence of Tommy that Master Lin shone more
energetically than ever； and under such shining Tommy was transparently
restless。 He tried； and failed； to bring the conversation his way； and
took to rearranging the mail and the furniture。
〃Supper's ready；〃 he said； at length。 〃Come right in； Miss Peck； right in
here。 This is your seatthis one； please。 Now you can see my fields out
of the window。〃
〃You sit here；〃 said the biscuit…shooter to Lin； and thus she was between
them。 〃Them's elegant！〃 she presently exclaimed to Tommy。 〃Did you cook
'em？〃
I explained that the apricots were of my preparation。
〃Indeed！〃 said she； and returned to Tommy； who had been telling her of
his ranch； his potatoes； his horses。 〃And do you punch cattle； too？〃 she
inquired of him。
〃Me？〃 said Tommy； slightingly； 〃gave it up years ago； too empty a life
for me。 I leave that to such as like it。 When a man owns his own
property〃Tommy swept his hand at the whole landscape〃 he takes to
more intellectual work。〃
〃Lickin' postage…stamps；〃 Mr。 McLean suggested； sourly。
〃You lick them and I cancel them；〃 answered the postmaster； and it does
not seem a powerful rejoinder。 But Miss Peck uttered her laugh。
〃That's one on you；〃 she told Lin。 And throughout this meal it was Tommy
who had her favor。 She partook of his generous supplies； she listened to
his romantic inventions； the trails he had discovered； the bears he had
slain； and after supper it was with Tommy； and not with Lin； that she
went for a little walk。
〃Katie was ever a tease；〃 said Mrs。 Taylor of her childhood friend； and
Mr。 Taylor observed that there was always safety in numbers。 〃She'll get
used to the ways of this country quicker than our little school…marm；〃
said he。
Mr。 McLean said very little； but read the new…arrived papers。 It was only
when bedtime dispersed us； the ladies in the cabin and the men choosing
various spots outside； that he became talkative again for a while。 We lay
in the blankwe had spread on some soft； dry sand in preference to the
stable； where Taylor and Tommy had gone。 Under the contemplative
influence of the stars； Lin fell into generalization。
〃Ever notice；〃 said he； 〃how whiskey and lyin' act the same on a man？〃
I did not feel sure that I had。
〃Just the same way。 You keep either of 'em up long enough； and yu' get to
require it。 If Tommy didn't lie some every day； he'd get sick。〃
I was sleepy； but I murmured assent to this； and trusted he would not go
on。
〃Ever notice；〃 said he； 〃how the victims of the whiskey and lyin' habit
get to increasing the dose？〃
〃Yes；〃 said I。
〃Him roping six bears！〃 pursued Mr。 McLean； after further contemplation。
〃Or any bear。 Ever notice how the worser a man's lyin' the silenter other
men'll get？ Why's that； now？〃
I believe that I made a faint sound to imply that I was following him。
〃Men don't get took in。 But ladies now； they〃
Here he paused again； and during the next interval of contemplation I
sank beyond his reach。
In the morning I left Riverside for Buffalo； and there or thereabouts I
remained for a number of weeks。 Miss Peck did not enter my thoughts； nor
did I meet any one to remind me of her； until one day I stopped at the
drug…store。 It was not for drugs； but gossip； that I went。 In the