noon
At least I shall be selling forgetfulness and not be wasting my life with this tramping on the road and thinking . '' The saloon in which he worked was a profitable one and although in an obscure place had made its proprietor what is called `` well fixed . '' It had a side door opening into an alley and one went up this alley to the main street of the town . The front door looking upon the railroad tracks was but little used , perhaps at the noon hour two or three young men from the freight depot down the tracks would come in by it and stand about drinking beer , but the trade that came down the alley and in at the side door was prodigious . All day long men hurried in at this door , took drinks and hurried out again , looking up the alley and running quickly when they found the way clear . These men all drank whiskey , and when Sam had worked for a few days in the place he once made the mistake of reaching for the bottle when he heard the door open . `` Let them ask for it , '' said the proprietor gruffly .