Square holes were cut in the walls for windows, but these were innocent
of screen or glass. Cracks in the roof and walls let in an abundance of
Arizona atmosphere. The furniture consisted of a slab table that
extended all the way through the middle of the room, a wicker chair, and
a golden-oak dresser minus the mirror and lacking one drawer.

White Mountain looked surprised and relieved, when I burst out laughing.
He didn't know how funny the financial inducements of my new job sounded
to me while I looked around that hovel: "So much per annum and furnished
quarters!"

"We'll fix this up for you. We rangers didn't know until this morning
that you were coming," he said; and we went down to see if the cook was
in a good humor. I was to eat at the "Mess House" with the road crew and
rangers, provided the cook didn't mind having a woman around. I began to
have leanings toward "Equal-Rights-for-Women Clubs," but the cook was as
nice as could be. I fell in love with him instantly. Both he and his
kitchen were so clean and cheerful. His name was Jack. He greeted me as
man to man, with a hearty handclasp, and assured me he would look after
me.

"But you'll have to eat what the men do. I ain't got time to fix fancies
for you," he hastened to add.

A steel triangle hung on a tree near the cookhouse door, and when dinner
was ready Jack's helper struck it sharply with an iron bar. This made a
clatter that could be heard a mile and brought the men tumbling from
their tents to eat. As I was washing my hands and face in the kitchen I
heard Jack making a few remarks to his boarders: "Now don't any you
roughnecks forget there's a lady eatin' here from now on, and I'll be