e is a friend of mine," said the Virginian;
"and you can be pretty near comfortable on his counter. Got any
Blankets?"

I had no blankets.

"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 cowpuncher. "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