human
Been celebrating the pigeons?
gpt
I only had one swig of whiskey, honest Injun! he answered.
human
I s'pose I might have waited till to-morrow, but I was dead-beat. I got a bear over by the Ten-mile Reach, and I was tired. I ain't so young as I used to be, and, anyhow, what's the good? What's ahead of me? You're going to git married to-morrow after all these years we bin together, and you're going down to Selby from the mountains, where I won't see you, not once in a blue moon. Only that old trollop, Mother Massy, to look after me.
gpt
Come down to Selby and live there. You'll be welcome by Jake and me.
human
Me live out of the mountains! Don't you know better than that? I couldn't breathe, and I wouldn't want to breathe. I've got my shack here, I got my fur business, and they're still fond of whiskey up North! He chuckled to himself, as he thought of the illicit still farther up the mountain behind them.
gpt
I make enough to live on, and I've put a few dollars by, though I won't have so many after to-morrow, after I've given you a little pile, Jinny.
human
P'r'aps there won't be any _to-morrow_, as you expect,
gpt
What! you and Jake ain't quarrelled again? You ain't broke it off at the last moment, same as before? You ain't had a letter from Jake?
human
I've had no letter, she answered.
gpt
I've had no letter from Selby for a month. It was all settled then, and there was no good writing, when he was coming to-morrow with the minister and the license. Who do you think'd be postman from Selby here? It must have cost him ten dollars to send the last letter.
human
Then what's the matter? I don't understand,