the Fourth, intending to lay over for a day or so. We were mighty glad of
it, and hurried through our work. I don't know why the rest were so
anxious to attend that dance, but for me, I'm willing to own that I wanted
to see Beryl King. I knew she'd be there--and if I didn't manage, by fair
means or foul, to make her dance with me, I should be very much surprised
and disappointed. I couldn't remember ever giving so much thought to a
girl; but I suppose it was because she was so frankly antagonistic that
there was nothing tame about our intercourse. I can't like girls who
invariably say just what you expect them to say.

When we came to get ready, there was a dress-discussion that a lot of
women would find it hard to beat. Some of the boys wanted to play up to,
the aristocrats' expectations, and wear their gaudiest neckerchiefs, their
chaps, spurs, and all the guns they could get their hands on; but I had an
idea I thought beat theirs, and proselyted for all I was worth. Rankin
had packed a lot of dress suits in one of my trunks--evidently he thought
Montana was some sort of house-party--and I wanted to build a surprise for
the good people at King's. I wanted the boys to use those suits to the
best advantage.

At first they hung back. They didn't much like the idea of wearing
borrowed clothes--which attitude I respected, but felt bound to overrule.
I told them it was no worse than borrowing guns, which a lot of them were
doing. In the end my oratory was rewarded as it deserved; it was decided
that, as even my capacious trunks couldn't be expected to hold thirty
dress suits, part of the crowd should ride in full regalia. I might "tog
up" as many as possible, and said "togged" men must lend their guns to the
others; for every man of the "reals" insisted on wearing a gun dangling
over each hip.