Part 8 (1/2)
”Gin,” said the companion.
Pete slid a bottle and two gla.s.ses along the bar. He bended his head sideways as he a.s.siduously polished away with a napkin at the gleaming wood. He had a look of watchfulness upon his features.
Jimmie and his companion kept their eyes upon the bartender and conversed loudly in tones of contempt.
”He's a dindy masher, ain't he, by Gawd?” laughed Jimmie.
”Oh, h.e.l.l, yes,” said the companion, sneering widely. ”He's great, he is. Git onto deh mug on deh blokie. Dat's enough to make a feller turn hand-springs in 'is sleep.”
The quiet stranger moved himself and his gla.s.s a trifle further away and maintained an att.i.tude of oblivion.
”Gee! ain't he hot stuff!”
”Git onto his shape! Great Gawd!”
”Hey,” cried Jimmie, in tones of command. Pete came along slowly, with a sullen dropping of the under lip.
”Well,” he growled, ”what's eatin' yehs?”
”Gin,” said Jimmie.
”Gin,” said the companion.
As Pete confronted them with the bottle and the gla.s.ses, they laughed in his face. Jimmie's companion, evidently overcome with merriment, pointed a grimy forefinger in Pete's direction.
”Say, Jimmie,” demanded he, ”what deh h.e.l.l is dat behind deh bar?”
”d.a.m.ned if I knows,” replied Jimmie. They laughed loudly. Pete put down a bottle with a bang and turned a formidable face toward them. He disclosed his teeth and his shoulders heaved restlessly.
”You fellers can't guy me,” he said. ”Drink yer stuff an' git out an'
don' make no trouble.”
Instantly the laughter faded from the faces of the two men and expressions of offended dignity immediately came.
”Who deh h.e.l.l has said anyt'ing teh you,” cried they in the same breath.
The quiet stranger looked at the door calculatingly.
”Ah, come off,” said Pete to the two men. ”Don't pick me up for no jay. Drink yer rum an' git out an' don' make no trouble.”
”Oh, deh h.e.l.l,” airily cried Jimmie.
”Oh, deh h.e.l.l,” airily repeated his companion.
”We goes when we git ready! See!” continued Jimmie.
”Well,” said Pete in a threatening voice, ”don' make no trouble.”
Jimmie suddenly leaned forward with his head on one side. He snarled like a wild animal.
”Well, what if we does? See?” said he.