THE RECONNAISSANCE PARTY 7 
nies, welcoming her husband with shining eyes. 
Three bored-looking travelling men of widely dis- 
parate ages were alike only in that they wore derby 
hats and walked with one accord quickly and un- 
hesitatingly toward the stage where Big Sam, the 
negro driver, obviously enjoying the brief but legit- 
imate conspicuousness of his position, rubbed his 
hands together and shouted at the top of his lungs: 
‘¢All abo’d fo’ d’ Palace—Palace Hotel dis-a-wa- 
a-a-y!’? 
Last to descend, a tall well-built youth with a suit 
case in one hand and a kit bag in the other, stepped 
off the train and gazed leisurely about him. As 
he caught sight of our party he set his baggage on 
the platform and awaited our approach with great 
composure. His air was assured, complacent even. 
It took no psychologist to divine that Horace -was 
thoroughly at home with himself. , 
‘“‘The Forest Service boys, I presume,’’ he ob- 
served genially, as we came up. ‘‘I knew you ina 
minute, and I am more than glad to meet you all.’’ 
The newcomer was not bashful, that was a cinch. 
And if his manner had not indicated as much at 
once, the fact would have become indubitably ap- 
parent during the afternoon and evening of that 
first day. His conversation made that certain. He 
enlightened us at length in regard to himself and his 
experiences in the West. We were curious, as I 
have said, to learn something of Horace. By night 
we knew all there was to be known. 
