There were a few of her passengers in the saloon, and one couple attracted her languid attention.
She could see the man plainly, and he was one of the usual type of Western citizen, keen-eyed, quick and nervous of movement and gesture, and incisive of speech.

He had a bundle of papers before him, and appeared to be making calculations in pencil while he dictated to his companion.

Now and then she caught disjointed fragments of his conversation.
"Got that quite straight?
Fall in securities, silver depreciating.
Now did I put in anything about the Democrats going in ?" Miss Deringham could make but little of this, and had always cherished a faint contempt, which she may have inherited from her mother, who had been born at Carnaby, for anything connected with business.

Still, she was mildly interested in the man's companion, whose face she could not see.

The girl was dressed very plainly, and Miss Deringham decided that the fabric had not cost much to begin with and was by no means new.