“Looking for a bed?” inquired the American drummer, now arriving.
“Yes, he’s looking for a bed,” answered the voice of Steve behind him.
“Seems a waste of time,” observed the Virginian. He looked thoughtfully
from one bed to another. “I didn’t know I’d have to lay over here. Well,
I have sat up before.”
“This one’s mine,” said the drummer, sitting down on it. “Half’s plenty
enough room for me.”
“You’re cert’nly mighty kind,” said the cow-puncher. “But I’d not think
o’ disconveniencing yu’.”
“That’s nothing. The other half is yours. Turn in right now if you feel
like it.”
“No. I don’t reckon I’ll turn in right now. Better keep your bed to
yourself.”
“See here,” urged the drummer, “if I take you I’m safe from drawing some
party I might not care so much about. This here sleeping proposition is
a lottery.”
“Well,” said the Virginian (and his hesitation was truly masterly), “if
you put it that way--”
“I do put it that way. Why, you’re clean! You’ve had a shave right now.
You turn in when you feel inclined, old man! I ain’t retiring just yet.”
The drummer had struck a slightly false note in these last remarks. He
should not have said “old man.” Until this I had thought him merely an
amiable person who wished to do a favor. But “old man” came in wrong.
It had a hateful taint of his profession; the being too soon with
everybody, the celluloid good-fellowship that passes for ivory with nine
in ten of the city crowd. But not so with the sons of the sagebrush.
They live nearer nature, and they know better.
But the Virginian blandly accepted “old man” from his victim: he had a
game to play. “Well, I cert’nly thank yu’,” he said. “After a while I’ll
take advantage of your kind offer.”
I was surprised. Possession being nine points of the law, it seemed
his very chance to intrench himself in the bed. But the cow-puncher
had planned a campaign needing no intrenchments. Moreover, going to bed
before nine o’clock upon the first evening in many weeks that a town’s
resources were open to you, would be a dull proceeding. Our entire
company, drummer and all, now walked over to the store, and here my
sleeping arrangements were made easily. This store was the cleanest
place and the best in Medicine Bow, and would have been a good store
anywhere, offering a multitude of things for sale, and kept by a very
civil proprietor. He bade me make myself at home, and placed both of his
counters at my disposal. Upon the grocery side there stood a cheese too
large and strong to sleep near comfortably, and I therefore chose the
dry-goods side. Here thick quilts were unrolled for me, to make it soft;
and no condition was placed upon me, further than that I should remove
my boots, because the quilts were new, and clean, and for sale. So
now my rest was assured. Not an anxiety remained in my thoughts. These
therefore turned themselves wholly to the other man’s bed, and how he
was going to lose it.
I think that Steve was more curious even than myself. Time was on the
wing. His bet must be decided, and the drinks enjoyed. He stood against
the grocery counter, contemplating the Virginian. But it was to me that
he spoke. The Virginian, however, listened to every word.
“Your first visit to this country?”