till the thing's settled."

When the girl arose to go, he accompanied her up through the deep
sand of the lane-like street to the main, muddy thoroughfare of
the camp. As yet, the planked and gravelled pavements, which later
threaded the town, were unknown, and the incessant traffic had
worn the road into a quagmire of chocolate-colored slush, almost
axle-deep, with which the store fronts, show-windows, and awnings
were plentifully shot and spattered from passing teams. Whenever a
wagon approached, pedestrians fled to the shelter of neighboring
doorways, watching a chance to dodge out again. When vehicles
passed from the comparative solidity of the main street out into
the morasses that constituted the rest of the town, they
adventured perilously, their horses plunging, snorting, terrified,
amid an atmosphere of profanity. Discouraged animals were down
constantly, and no foot-passenger, even with rubber boots,
ventured off the planks that led from house to house.

To avoid a splashing team, Dextry pulled his companion close in
against the entrance to the Northern saloon, standing before her
protectingly.

Although it was late in the afternoon the Bronco Kid had just
arisen and was now loafing preparatory to the active duties of his
profession. He was speaking with the proprietor when Dextry and
the girl sought shelter just without the open door, so he caught a
fair though fleeting glimpse of her as she flashed a curious look
inside. She had never been so close to a gambling-hall before, and
would have liked to peer in more carefully had she dared, but her
companion moved forward. At the first look the Bronco Kid had