One could loaf in a hard chair in front of the hotel, lose a dollar or two at the shabby pool-room, or go to a movie show and see pictures of frankly ridiculous Western melodrama.

In the real West, the pictures were ridiculous, because romantic shootings-up did not happen.

In fact, unless a stubborn labor dispute began, nothing broke the dull monotony of toilsome effort.

Romance had vanished with the buffaloes.

Lister admitted that he had not long felt the monotony.