Part 24 (1/2)
”Why on the flat?” asked Morht snake up afteh dahk an' sling anythin' they iant powdeh!”
”Wal,” drawled Sandy, flicking the ash fro, an' yore right about that coveh, Mormon That's e chose it Sam an' me had a heap of trouble pickin' out this place Finally we found jest anted, didn't we, Sam?”
”Sure did”
Mormon set down his load and took off his hat to scratch his head perplexedly Then his face lightened as he looked up-hill
”You figger on settin' the lantern in here afteh dahk,” he said ”An'
watchin' the fun from the tunnel”
”Pritty close, Mormon Come inside, you an' Westlake, an' I'll show you suthin'”
They followed hi
”No matteh what happens,” said Sandy, ”an' I'm hopin' fo' the worst, it ain't our tent You been up to the main street this afternoon, Westlake?”
”Yes There's a lot of talk loose about the trouble between you and Plimsoll's crowd Factions for both sides and a lot of onlookers who are neutral and just waiting for the exciteht not have knownabout taking you apart, Mr Peters He claims to have been a champion wrestler at one time”
”You don't say so,” said Mormon ”Me, I was the champeen wrastler of the Cow Belt, one time Had the belt to prove it till I lost it at draw poker I've got hawg fat sence then, but I don't believe I've softened any An' the booze he's tuckin' away ison walkin',” he added ”B'lieve I'll sit it supper if you want to take Westlake up to the tunnel”
Westlake carefully inspected the tunnel, the float and the contents of the du this as a drift to follow a good lead,” he pronounced ”It looks better to me than any part of the camp I've inspected I'll assay these saot a lot of orders back at my shack already My customers told me that they'd put a flea in Russell's ear that the camp assayer was not to be interfered with, so there is some value in an education, you see”
Sandy nodded ”You pack a gun?” he asked
”No I've got one, but I don't carry it My practise with firearer calibers”
”War?” asked Sandy
”Yes I was in the artillery Is there anything else I can do? Get you so back to have supper with Miss Bailey and her nephew”
”Not a thing,” said Sandy ”Much obliged” He watched the engineer swing away
”There's a good man for you,” he said to Sam ”Well set up and able to handle himself I like his ways first-rate”
”Me, too,” said Saood match fo' Molly, when she comes back with her eddication, w'udn't he?”
Sandy stopped in his stride suddenly, so that Saarded hih heels is all right fo' stirrups but they're tough on hill climbin'”