The winter sun was already setting when two weary cowboys rode up to a hotel painted in gaudy blues, red and greens. They looked at the hotel, looked at each other, and looked at the hotel again before the man wearing a battered black hat spoke.

"Well, Kid? What do you think?"

"I'm thinkin' that the rooms better not be painted the same way, or I won't be able to get any sleep."

The first man laughed. "That ain't what I meant. You think we can afford this place? It looks awful fancy."

"Heyes, with a fancy outside like that, they probably ran out of money to keep the rooms up. I think we can afford it."

"Good. My behind can't take another hour in the saddle while we look for some other place to stay."

"Mine neither. 'Specially with a storm movin' in."

The men dismounted and tied up their horses. Slinging saddlebags over their shoulders, they went inside. The lobby was as shabby as the outside was ornate.

"This is more like it, Heyes. Looks like every other dump we've stayed in."

"We should be able to afford it then." They dropped their possessions next to the reception desk. "Where's the clerk anyway? It's almost suppertime; someone should be here." He hit the small bell on the desk. Almost immediately, a thin teenager came running down the stairs from the second floor.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," he said breathlessly as he sprinted into the lobby. "How can I help you gentlemen?"

"We'd like a room," Heyes said. "Two beds with a view of the street, with baths."

"No problem, sir. Still only $2.00 a night, a real bargain, as long as you don't mind the noise."

"Noise?" Curry asked. "What kind of noise?"

"Construction noise during the day. There's a new owner, and he's fixin' up the place. It's gonna be real high class when he's done." He opened the big registration book for them. "If'n you'll just sign in here, gents, I can give you your key."

Heyes smiled at the earnest boy. "Noise during the day ain't no problem for us, as long as it's quiet at night. My partner needs to get his beauty rest."

The boy blinked. "He needs beauty rest?"

"Never mind him," Curry said, signing the register. "He thinks he's funny." He pushed the registry over to Heyes, who dipped his pen in an inkwell and signed with a quick scrawl.

"Can someone take care of our horses? They're right out in front."

"Yes sir. My boss, Mr. Cameron, should be back real soon to take over here, and then I can do it. I'll get the baths sent up, too."

"That should be fine."

They picked up their saddlebags and went upstairs. As they turned around a corner, an older man with a peg leg came into the lobby from a side door.

"There's two horses out front, Tommy. Whose are they?"

"They belong to a couple fellas who just checked in, Mr. Cameron."

"Did you have them sign in, like I told you?"

"Yes sir, take a look."

Cameron looked at the signatures. "Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones? Is this some kind of joke?"

Tommy peered at the book without understanding. "Joke, sir?"

"Two fellas travellin' together called Smith and Jones? That can't be their real names."

"Gosh! You mean they're aliases, like in the dime novels? Maybe them two are really famous outlaws!" Tommy's eyes were bright with excitement.

"Settle down, son. Famous outlaws don't stray from the outlaw trail in wintertime. I probably spoke out of turn. Still . . . Joshua Smith sounds real familiar to me. Wish I could place that name. What's he look like?"

"Nothin' special. Brown hair, brown eyes." Tommy shrugged. "Just another cowboy. I didn't really pay him no mind."

"Huh. It's probably not important. I'll have to think on it more." He slammed the registration book shut. "Go ahead and stable their horses. After you do that, come on back here. I got some more chores for you."

"Yes, sir." The teen-ager almost ran out the front door. Cameron waited till he had gone, then opened the registration book again and looked at the newest signatures more carefully. His eyes opened wide in surprise.

"It can't be," he whispered. "It can't."