Part 25 (1/2)
”That's just what I ondering in regard to Joe Clark,” I retorted, returning glare for glare ”But look you here,--whoever you e elsewhere, but it doesn't have any effect on theCoether
”Guess you're one of them new-broom-sweep-clean smart Alicks,” he said
”About as smart as you are civil, Mr Clark”
”Well, Mister Man, supposin' you and ht now I'es operatin' on the coast here”
He thu I have a hand in, oes,--understand”
”You are a lucky o here unless it coincides with mine, Mister Clark
”Now,” I added briskly, ”tell et out I have other work to do”
He raised his hand and leaned across the counter, as if to clutch me by the throat, and a terrible paw of a hand it was, too But, evidently, he thought better of it
Not that I fancied for a moment that he was afraid of me at all, because I knew quite well that he was not
He sat down on a box and watched le as I busiedsome tins on the shelves that were in no way in need of adjustment
”Guess you think I pay ood of their health down to this one-horse outfit”
”I have not wasted any thoughts on you at all, so far, Mr Clark,” I replied
”Why'n the hell didn't you fill my order yesterday?”
”Was it your order?”
”'Course it was Wrote it out myself, every bit of it”
”Well,--you're a rotten writer, Mr Clark”
”Oh!--can it What kind of a tin-pot way of doin' business was that?
What was this damned place started for anyway, if not for the convenience of the Ca?” I asked
”Well,--Mr Clark, even if I had known it, I would not have accepted the order as it was My positive instructions are that all camp orders have to be filled only on receipt of a staned document on the Company's business foro out from here, whether for Joe Clark or for any one else”
”And what if I ain't got an order with me now? Guess you'll turn me down same as you did the others yesterday?”
”That is just what I would have to do”
”The hell you would!” He put his hand into his pocket and brought out some papers, one of which he threw on the counter ”There's your blasted order Get a wiggle on, for I ain't here on a pleasure jaunt,--not by a daoods”
”Betterorder and it will not be ready a rowled, as he strode out, ”some store-clerk,---I don't think”