"Why, I've brought you up a sandwich, girlie, all nice and hot, and a nip of something to take the chill off." "I don't want it, I tell you!" "Be a sport now! You use Pete right, and he'll use you right. Shame to see a lady like you not gettin' no service here. Open the door. Dandy sandwich!" The knob rattled again. She said nothing. The heel of her palm pressed against the door till the molding ate into it. The man was snorting: "I ain't going to all this trouble and then throw away a good sandwich. You asked me----" "M-must I s-shout?" "S-shout your fool head off!" He kicked the door. "Good friends of mine, 'long this end of the hall. Aw, listen. Just teasing. I'm not going to rob you, little honey bird. Laws, you could have a million dollars, and old Pete wouldn't take two-bits. I just get so darn lonely in this hick town. Like to chat to live ones from the big burg. I'm a city fella myself--Spokane and Cheyenne and everything." In her bare feet, Claire had run across the room, looked desperately out of the window. Could she climb out, reach her friend of the Alaska Café? If she had to---- Then she grinned. The world was rose-colored and hung with tinkling bells. "I love even that Pinky person!" she said. In the yard of the hotel, beside her Gomez, was a Teal bug, and two men were sleeping in blankets on the ground. She marched over to the door. She flung it open. The man started back. He was holding an electric, torch. She could not see him, but to the hovering ball of light she remarked, "Two men, friends of mine, are below, by their car. You will go at once, or I'll call them. If you think I am bluffing, go down and look. Good night!" CHAPTER XX THE FREE WOMAN Before breakfast, Claire darted down to the hotel yard. She beamed at Milt, who was lacing a rawhide patch on a tire, before she remembered that they were not on speaking terms. They both looked extremely sheepish and young. It was Pinky Parrott who was the social lubricant. Pinky was always on speaking terms with everybody. "Ah, here she is! The little lady of the mutinous eyes! Our colonel of the flivver hussars!" But he got no credit. Milt straightened up and lumbered, "Hel-lo!" She peeped at him and whispered, "Hel-lo!" "Say, oh please, Claire---- I didn't mean----" "Oh, I know! Let's--let's go have breakfast." "Was awfully afraid you'd think we were fresh, but when we came in last night, and saw your car--didn't like the looks of the hotel much, and thought we'd stick around." "I'm so glad. Oh, Milt--yes, and you, Mr. Parrott--will you whip--lick--beat up--however you want to say it--somebody for me?" With one glad communal smile Milt and Pinky curved up their wrists and made motions as of pulling up their sleeves. "But not unless I say so. I want to be a Citizeness Fixit. I've been good for so long. But now----" "Show him to me!" and "Up, lads, and atum!" responded her squad. "Not till after breakfast."