He felt that while he still owed something to his original plan of
visiting California, he could do worse than stay right where he was. He
had thought of wiring to have his baggage sent back. Then it occurred to
him that, aside from his shaving-kit and a few essentials, his baggage
comprised but little that he could use out here in the mesa country. And
he felt a certain relief in not having trunks to look after. Outing
flannels and evening clothes would hardly fit into the present scheme of
things. The local store would furnish him all that he needed. In this
frame of mind he entered the Blue Front Saloon where he found Senator
Steve and his foreman seated at a side table discussing the merits of
"Green River."

"Hello!" called the Senator. "Mr. Bartley, meet my foreman, Lon Pelly."

They shook hands.

"Lon says the source of Green River is Joy in the Hills," asserted the
Senator, smiling.

The long, lean cow-puncher grinned. "Steve, here, says the source of
Green River is trouble."

"Now, as a writin' man, what would you say?" queried the Senator.

Bartley gazed at the label on the bottle under discussion. "Well, as a
writer, I might say that it depends how far you travel up or down Green
River. But as a mere individual enjoying the blessings of companionship,
I should say, let's experiment, judiciously."