Let's go in--have a feed--take what we can and make a bolt for it. If
she tries to stop us we can settle her right enough."

"Without being too rough! There's no need to be too rough with her,
Ed."

"I shouldn't stick at much!" Curtis answered. "Occasions like these
don't admit of chivalry. Come along! It's the ham I'm after."

Curtis shuffled forward as he spoke, and the next moment Kelson and he
were standing in front of the counter.

The girl eyed Curtis very dubiously and it is more than likely would
have refused to serve him had he been alone. But her expression
changed on looking at Kelson. Kelson was one of those individuals who
seldom fail to meet with the approval of women--there was a something
in him they liked. Probably neither he nor they could have defined
that something; but there it was, and it came in extremely handy now.

"What do you want?" she inquired shortly.

"Ham! Give me some of that ham over there, miss, and a cup of tea!
Bread too!" Curtis cried eagerly. "Do you know what it is to have a
twist on, miss? I have one on now--so please give us a full
twenty-five cents' worth."

Kelson said nothing, but his eyes glistened, and the girl wondered as
she passed him the polonies.

Both men ate as they had never eaten before, and as they would not have