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〃You'll attend to the mail first； Mr。 Postmaster！〃 said the lady； but
favoring him with a look from her large eyes。 〃There's plenty of gentlemen
here。〃 With that her glance favored Lin。 She went into the cabin； he
following her close； with the Taylors and myself in the rear。 〃Well； I guess
I'm about collapsed！〃 said she； vigorously； and sank upon one of Tommy's
chairs。
The fragile article fell into sticks beneath her； and Lin leaped to her
assistance。 He placed her upon a firmer foundation。 Mrs。 Taylor brought a
basin and towel to bathe the dust from her face； Mr。 Taylor produced
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whiskey； and I found sugar and hot water。 Tommy would doubtless have
done something in the way of assistance or restoratives； but he was gone
to the stable with the horses。
〃Shall I get your medicine from the valise； deary？〃 inquired Mrs。
Taylor。
〃Not now；〃 her visitor answered； and I wondered why she should take
such a quick look at me。
〃We'll soon have yu' independent of medicine；〃 said Lin； gallantly。
〃Our climate and scenery here has frequently raised the dead。〃
〃You're a case； anyway！〃 exclaimed the sick lady with rich conviction。
The cow…puncher now sat himself on the edge of Tommy's bed； and；
throwing one leg across the other； began to raise her spirits with cheerful
talk。 She steadily watched himhis face sometimes； sometimes his
lounging； masculine figure。 While he thus devoted his attentions to her；
Taylor departed to help Tommy at the stable； and good Mrs。 Taylor； busy
with supper for all of us in the kitchen； expressed her joy at having her old
friend of childhood for a visit after so many years。
〃Sickness has changed poor Katie some；〃 said she。 〃But I'm hoping
she'll get back her looks on Bear Creek。〃
〃She seems less feeble than I had understood；〃 I remarked。
〃Yes； indeed！ I do believe she's feeling stronger。 She was that tired and
down yesterday with the long stage…ride； and it is so lonesome！ But Taylor
and I heartened her up； and Tommy came with the mail； and to…day she's
real spruced…up like； feeling she's among friends。〃
〃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
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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 it
for 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
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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