"This is a very regrettable necessity on my part, gentlemen," began
Proprietor Ashby hurriedly, and plainly ill at ease. "Some of my
regular guests object to the presence of these young men, and so--"
"These young gentlemen have gotten in bad by objecting to having their
men fleeced here in town, haven't they?" inquired the boldest of the
drummers. "I heard something about it this morning."
"Perhaps you haven't heard all the circumstances," suggested Ashby in
growing embarrassment.
"We've heard enough, anyway," replied the same drummer briskly. "So
these young men, who are a credit to their profession and to their home
towns, are ordered to leave here? Boys, I guess we leave, too, don't
we?"
The other traveling salesmen assented emphatically.
Now Proprietor Ashby felt dismal, indeed. These five men were occupying
the best quarters in his hotel, outside of those occupied by Jim Duff.
It was not the loss of patronage from these men alone that troubled
Ashby. Traveling salesmen have their own ways of "passing around the
word" and downing any hotel that depends largely on their patronage.
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