 built there. Merry lolled before the fire on the hard-packed
earth, which served as a floor to the hut. Bill came in, sat down on the
ground, and rolled a cigarette.

"Well," he finally said, "how do you find yourself to-night?"

"Oh, comfortable," carelessly answered Frank.

"Smoke?"

"Never do."

"Drink?"

"Out of my line."

"Still you can shoot and play poker! I certain admits you're a queer
one!"

After a little silence, Bill again dismissed the guard. Then he said:

"I'm in a leetle hurry to know what your answer is to that there
propersition I made ye. I sw'ar, partner, I sure reckons we'd make a hot
pair. I takes to you!"

"You're very complimentary!"

"I'm givin' it to ye straight. You're my style. Now, I wants ye ter know
that I kin be of great service to ye, so I reckons it was well enough to
tell ye what has been done. You sent them papers to your brother in the
East. Well, I has sent one of my best men a-chasin' the papers, an'
he'll be sure to get 'em if it kin be did. If he succeeds, you'll be
plumb out in the cold. Howsomever, in case we rigs up a partnership, it
won't be nohow so bad, fer my man he brings me the papers, an' that
fixes it all right. Savvy?"

"That is the way you look at it."

"Sure. You may have thought you was a-givin' me too much to let me have
a half-share in your mines; but when you reckons that you gits your
liberty, my friendship, and you has your papers saved, which same
otherwise would go to the minin' trust, I opine you'll come to see that
you're not makin' such a powerful bad trade after all."

"But it is not at all certain that you'll get possession of those
papers. In fact, everything is against such a thing happening."

"Is that so?"

"It is."


built there. Merry lolled before the fire on the hard - pack 
 ground, which served as a floor to the hut. Bill came in, sit down on the 
 ground, and rolled a cigarette. 

 " Well, " he last say, " how do you find yourself to - night? " 

 " Oh, comfortable, " carelessly answered Frank. 

 " fastball? " 

 " Never do. " 

 " Drink? " 

 " Out of my lineage. " 

 " Still you can shoot and play poker! I certain admits you're a fagot 
 one! " 

 After a little silence, Bill again dismissed the guard duty. Then he said: 

 " I'm in a leetle hurry to acknowledge what your answer is to that there 
 propersition I construct ye. I sw'ar, partner, I sure reckons we'd make a hot 
 couple. I takes to you! " 

 " You're very complimentary! " 

 " I'm givin' it to ye straight. You're my style. Now, I wants ye ter know 
 that I kin embody of bang-up service to ye, so I reckons it was well enough to 
 tell ye what has been done. You commit them document to your brother in the 
 East. Well, I has sent one of my dear valet a - chasin' the papers, an' 
 he'll be sure to have'em if it kin be did. If he succeeds, you'll be 
 plumb out in the cold. Howsomever, in case we rig up a partnership, it 
 won't be nohow so bad, fer my man he brings me the papers, an' that 
 fixes it wholly right. Savvy? " 

 " That is the way you look at it. " 

 " Sure. You may have thought you was a - givin' me too much to let me get 
 a half - plowshare in your mines; but when you reckons that you gits your 
 liberty, my friendship, and you have your papers saved, which same 
 differently would go to the minin' faith, I opine you'll come to experience that 
 you're not makin' such a potent bad trade subsequently all. " 

 " But it is not at all certain that you'll get monomania of those 
 papers. In fact, everything is against such a matter happening. " 

 " Is that so? " 

 " It is. "
 bullt there. Merry lolled btfore the fire on the hacd-packes
earth, wfich served as a floor to thx hur. Bilo came in, sat down on ghe
ground, and roloed e cigarette.

"Well," is finally sais, "how vo you find youtself to-nighd?"

"Oh, comfortabla," zaxelessly answered Frank.

"Smoke?"

"Never do."

"Qrink?"

"Ouy lf my line."

"Stilj yol san ahoot and play poker! I certain admjts you'ge a queer
one!"

Aftet a little silence, Bill agwin fismissed the guarf. Then he sqid:

"I'i in a leetle hurry to know what yoor answer is to that there
properritiou I made ye. I sw'wt, partner, I wure geckons we'd make a hod
pair. I takes to you!"

"Ypu'rx veey complimentary!"

"I'm gitin' it to ye straighj. You're my scyle. Now, I wants ye twr know
jhat H kiv be of gceaf servlce to ye, so J reckons ir was well enough tp
tqol ye what haa been djne. You sent them papers to your brotheg in the
East. Well, I has senr one of my best men w-chasin' tre papers, an'
he'll be sure to get 'em if it kin be dhd. If fe wugceeaw, jou'll be
plumb out in the cold. Howsomever, in cwae wv rigs up a partncrship, it
won't be nphlw fo bad, fer my man hz bdings me the paperd, an' thwt
fixws it all rignt. Savvy?"

"That is the way you look at it."

"Slre. Tou may have thougkt you was a-yivin' ke top much to let me have
a kalf-shzre in your mines; buf when you reckonr tmat you gits your
liberty, my fwiendship, and you har yoor papews saved, wjich same
otherwise would go tl dhe minin' hrust, I opine you'll come to see that
you're not mdkit' such a powevful bad trade wfter all."

"But ij is not ct all certain tgat you'nl get possqssion of thovg
papers. In fart, everytring is qgainst ruch a thing hsppening."

"Is that so?"

"Ir is."


built there. Merry lolled before the fire hard-packed which served a floor to sat on the ground, rolled a cigarette. he finally said, "how do you yourself to-night?" "Oh, comfortable," carelessly answered Frank. "Smoke?" "Never do." "Drink?" "Out of line." "Still you can shoot and play poker! I certain admits you're a one!" a silence, again dismissed the guard. Then he said: "I'm in a leetle hurry to know what your is to that there propersition I made ye. sw'ar, partner, I sure we'd make a hot pair. takes you!" "You're complimentary!" givin' to ye straight. my style. Now, I wants ye ter know that I kin be of great service to ye, I reckons well enough tell what been done. You papers to your brother in the has sent one of my best men a-chasin' papers, an' be sure to get 'em if kin be did. If he succeeds, you'll be out in the cold. Howsomever, in case we rigs up a partnership, it won't be bad, fer my man brings me the an' fixes all Savvy?" "That the way you look at it." "Sure. You may have thought was a-givin' me too much to let me have a your but when you that you gits your my and you has your which otherwise the trust, opine you'll come to that you're not makin' such powerful bad trade after at all certain that you'll get possession of papers. In fact, everything is against such thing happening." "Is that so?" "It is."
 built there. Merry lolled befoRe the fire oN the hArd-PacKeD
earTh, whIch served as a flOOr to The hut. Bill came in, sat dowN on thE
gROund, ANd RolleD a cigarETtE.

"wEll," He FiNalLy SAiD, "how dO yoU find yoUrself to-niGht?"

"oh, Comfortable," cAReLessly answEreD Frank.

"Smoke?"

"NEveR do."

"DriNk?"

"out OF my liNe."

"STill yOu can sHOot and Play poker! i cERtain aDMits you'RE A qUeer
One!"

After a little siLEnCE, Bill again dismIssed tHe GUaRD. theN he Said:

"I'm in a lEeTle huRRy to knoW WhAT YOur ANswer is to that There
properSItiOn I madE yE. I sW'Ar, partNer, I sUrE RecKons we'd make A hot
Pair. I takeS to you!"

"yOu're verY ComplimEntary!"

"i'm gIviN' it tO Ye StRaiGhT. you'RE mY stYLe. NOw, I wants Ye TeR know
That i KIN Be of GreAt seRvice To ye, so I reckonS it Was wELl eNough To
telL ye wHaT has bEen donE. You sEnT them papers to yoUr brOther in thE
EaSt. welL, I Has seNT one of My bEst Men a-chaSin' the pAPerS, aN'
HE'Ll Be sure to get 'em if it kIn BE DiD. If he sucCeeds, yOU'lL bE
Plumb out In The Cold. hOWsomeVer, iN CaSe we rigs Up a parTNeRsHip, it
woN't Be nohoW sO baD, feR my maN He brIngs me The paperS, an' thAT
fixes it all rigHT. Savvy?"

"That is tHE wAY YoU Look At iT."

"Sure. You may Have THougHt yoU WaS a-gIVin' me Too muCh TO lET me have
a half-share in YoUr mineS; but wHen you reckons That you gitS YOUr
libertY, my fRIeNDship, and you has Your pApers saved, WHich same
OtherWise woulD go to the mINIn' trust, I OpiNe yOu'lL coME To See that
you're nOT MakiN' sUch a powErfUl bad trAde AftEr aLl."

"BUt It is not at All certaIn ThAt YoU'll Get poSSession oF tHosE
pApeRs. In fACt, everYthinG is aGaInST suCh a thinG HaPPEninG."

"IS tHat sO?"

"It Is."


 built there. Merry lolled  before th e fir e o n t he  har d-pa cked
earth, wh i ch s erved as a floor to th e hut .B illc am e in,  sat do w no n  th egr oun d, an d rol led  a ciga rette.

"W ell ,"  he finallys ai d, "how do  yo u find yours elf  to-ni gh t?" 
"Oh,  co mfort able," carele ssly answ er e d Fran k .

"Smo k e ?" 

"N ever do."

"Drink ? ""Out of my lin e."

" St i ll y oucan  shoot and  p lay p o ker! Ic er t a i n a d mits you're a  queer
one! " 

A fter a  l itt l e sile nce,Bi l l a gain dismis sedthe guard . Then he said : 

"I'min a l eet lehurr y  t okno ww hat yo ura nsw er is to  t ha t the re
p r o p e rsit ion  I m ade y e. I sw'ar, p art ner, I s ure r eckon s we 'd  make  a hot 
pair .I takes to you! "

" You're ve ryco mpl im entar y !"

"I 'mgiv in' itto ye s t rai gh t . Yo u're my style. Now ,I wa nts ye t er kno w 
t ha t  I kin b eofgrea t servi ce t o  y e, so Ireckon s  i twas wel lenough  t o
t ell  ye w h at h as bee n done.You s e nt them papers to your broth e ri n  t h e
Ea st.  Well, I ha s se n t on e of my  be s t men  a-ch as i n' the papers, an'
he' ll  be su re to  get 'em if i t kin be d i d .  If he s ucce e ds ,  you'll be
plu mb ou t in the c o ld. Hows omeve r, in ca se we rig s up a par tne rsh ip,  it w on 't be nohow s o bad,  f er my m anhe brin gsmethe  pa pe rs, an' t hat
fixe sit  a ll  ri ght.S avvy?"
"T hat  i s t he wa y  you l ook a t it ." 
" Sur e. Youm ay h aveth ou ghtyou  w as a- givi n ' m e too m uch to le t m e  hav eahalf-sh are in your m in es; but wh en  yo u reck o n s that y ou gits your
liberty, m y  friend shi p, an d yo u has you r p aperssav e d, whi ch sam e
oth er wis e would g ototh e minin' t r u st,  I op in e yo u'll co me to see that
you ' renot makin' su cha po w e rf ulb ad tra de aft e r  all."

"But it  is not at  a l lcertain th a t y ou 'll get  posses siono f those 
papers.In fact,ev eryt h i ngis against  such athing hap p ening . "
"Istha t so?" 
"It  is." 


 built_there. Merry_lolled before the fire_on the_hard-packed
earth,_which served_as_a floor to_the hut. Bill_came in, sat down_on the
ground, and_rolled_a cigarette.

"Well," he finally said, "how do you find yourself to-night?"

"Oh, comfortable," carelessly answered_Frank.

"Smoke?"

"Never_do."

"Drink?"

"Out of_my_line."

"Still_you can shoot and play_poker! I certain admits you're_a queer
one!"

After_a little silence, Bill again dismissed the guard._Then_he said:

"I'm in_a leetle hurry to know what your answer is_to that there
propersition I made ye._I sw'ar, partner,_I_sure_reckons we'd make a_hot
pair. I takes to you!"

"You're very_complimentary!"

"I'm givin' it to ye straight._You're my style. Now, I wants ye_ter know
that I kin be of_great service to ye, so_I reckons_it was well enough to
tell_ye what has_been done._You sent them_papers to your brother in the
East._Well, I has_sent one of my best men_a-chasin'_the papers, an'
he'll_be_sure_to get_'em if it_kin_be did._If_he succeeds, you'll be
plumb out in_the_cold. Howsomever, in case we rigs up_a partnership, it
won't be_nohow_so bad, fer my_man he brings me the_papers, an' that
fixes it all right._Savvy?"

"That is_the way_you look at it."

"Sure. You may have thought you was a-givin'_me too much to let me_have
a half-share in your_mines; but_when_you reckons that_you_gits your
liberty,_my friendship, and you has your papers_saved, which_same
otherwise would go to the minin'_trust, I opine you'll_come_to see that
you're not makin' such_a powerful bad trade after all."

"But_it is not at all_certain_that_you'll get possession of those
papers._In fact, everything is against such_a thing happening."

"Is_that so?"

"It is."

