"I slapped what I had loose on the counter; he counted it careful
and give me my paste-board, just as the engine come a-hissin' and
a-roarin' in. Gee, she did look bully to me! I hadn't seen a
train of cars for two years. We detained 'em no longer than was
necessary to treat the engineer and the rest of the crew proper in
the matter of drinks, and I was off, leanin' back comfortable in
the smoker, puffin' huge and prosperous puffs of real seegar smoke
into the air, and with the careless thumb of wealth tucked into the
armpit of my vest. I reckoned I must have dozed, for bimeby the
conductor shook me by the arm and says, respectful, 'We're nearin'
your station, sir.'

"I looked out, and I see down the track the most lonesome inhabited
spot on the face of this earth. If houses has ghosts I should say
that the ghosts of some forty houses that had committed the crime
of not bein' properly built had collected themselves there--why,
even the snow around the cussed things looked second-hand.

"I made up my mind on the instant that I'd never really intended to
go there. But it was too late now. I didn't propose to back down
before that conductor.

"'The names of all these little towns is so much alike,' says I,
'that I've forgot the name of this one already.'

"'Yes?' says he, raisin' his eyebrows. Of course, as a matter of
fact, I hadn't thought to look at my ticket; but having started on
this line I meant to buck through.

"'Yes,' says I. 'Would you mind giving it to me?'