Battered and bruised as we were, and hungry into the bargain, after our hard struggle over the mountain, it became a matter of vital importance that we should secure lodgings for the night, and, if possible, get something to eat. The place looked rather unpromising; but, after our experience in Lake Valley, we were not easily discouraged. Upon broaching the subject to Diogenes in the mildest possible manner, his brow darkened, as if a positive insult to his common sense had been attempted.
"Stay here all night!" he repeated, savagely. "What the h--ll do you want to stay here all night for?"
We hinted at a disposition to sleep, and thought he might possibly have room on the floor for our blankets.
At this he snapped his fingers contemptuously, and muttered, "Can't come that over me! I've been here too long for that!"
"But we are willing to pay you whatever is fair."
"Pay? Who said I wanted pay? Do I look like a man that wants money?"
"If I wanted money," continued Diogenes, "I could have made fifty dollars a day for the last two months. But I ask no favors of the world. Some of 'em wants to stay here whether I will or no; I rather think I'm too many for any of that sort--eh, Bull, what d'ye say?" Bull growled, with a bloodthirsty meaning. "Too many altogether, gents--me and Bull."
There was a sturdy independence about this fellow, and a scorn for filthy lucre that rather astonished me as a citizen of a money-loving state.
"Well, if you can't let us stay all night, perhaps you can get us up a snack of dinner?"
"Snack of dinner?"--and here there was a guttural chuckle that boded failure again--"I tell you this ain't a tavern; and if it was, my cook's gone out to take a airing."
"But have you nothing in the house to eat?"
"Oh yes, there's a bunch of foxskins. If you'd like some of 'em cooked, I'll bile 'em for you."
This man's disposition had evidently been soured in early life. I think he must have been crossed in love. His style had the merit of being terse, but his manner was sarcastic to the verge of impoliteness.
"Well, I suppose we can warm ourselves at the fire?"
"If you can," quoth Diogenes, "you can do more than I can;" and here he hauled his blanket over his shoulders, and fell back on the empty potato sacks as if there was no more to be said on that or any other subject.