orestry is rather the opposite of lumbering. I'm going in for
Government forestry--to save the timber, not cut it."

It seemed to me he gave a little start of surprise; he certainly
straightened up and looked at me hard.

"What's Government forestry?"

I told him to the best of my ability. He listened attentively enough,
but thereafter he had not another word for me, and presently he went
into the next car. I took his manner to be the Western abruptness that I
had heard of, and presently forgot him in the scenery along the line.
At Albuquerque I got off for a trip to a lunch-counter, and happened to
take a seat next to him.

"Know anybody in Holston?" he asked.

As I could not speak because of a mouthful of sandwich I shook my head.
For the moment I had forgotten about Dick Leslie, and when it did occur
to me some Indians offering to sell me beads straightway drove it out of
my mind again.

When I awoke the next day, it was to see the sage ridges and red buttes
of Arizona. We were due at Holston at eight o'clock, but owing to a
crippled engine the train was hours late. At last I fell asleep to be
awakened by a vigorous shake.

"Holston. Your stop. Holston," the conductor was saying.

"All right," I said, sitting up and then making a grab for my grip.
"We're pretty late, aren't we?"

"Six hours. It's two o'clock."

"Hope I can get a room," I said, as I followed him out on the platform.
He held up his lantern so that the light would shine in my face.
"There's a hotel down the street a block or so. Better hurry and look
sharp. Holston's not a safe place for a stranger at night."

I stepped off into a windy darkness. A lamp glimmered in the station
window. By its light I made out several men, the foremost of whom had
a dark, pointed face and glittering eyes. He wore a strange hat, and I
knew from pictures I had seen that he was a Mexican. Then the bulky form
of Buell loomed up. I called, but evidently he did not hear me. The men
took his grips, and they moved away to disappear in the darkness. While
I paused, hoping to see some one to direct me, the train puffed out,
leaving me alone on the platform.

When I turned the corner I saw two dim lights, one far to the left,
the other to the right, and the black outline of buildings under what
appeared to be the shadow of a mountain. It was the quietest and darkest
town I had ever struck.

I decided to turn toward the right-hand light, for the conductor had
said "