human
Is he--right?
gpt
Yeh, it's Cinnabar Joe, that used to tend bar in the Headquarters saloon in Wolf River. Him an' that there Jennie Dodds that used to work in the hotel's got married an' filed along the crick, 'bout four mile above McWhorter's.
human
Cinnabar, eh? Well, when the time comes, I'll just naturally tap him fer his pile. I've got somethin' on that bird. He's mine.
gpt
I said _he's right_. D'you git that? Meanin' that him, an' his stock, an' his wife, an' everything he's got is safe an' sound fer as this gang's concerned. He ain't in on nothin'--same as McWhorter. Only--he don't know nothin'--see? An' if any of us wants anythin' an' he's goin' to town--all right.
human
But, I've be'n aimin' to make him come acrost for over a year, an'----
gpt
An', now you c'n fergit it! Friends is worth more'n enimies, anyways you look at it--'special,' in our business. That makes jest eighty-three ranches, big an little, that the Grimshaw gang counts friends. That's why we git away with it. They's be'n times when most any of 'em could of said the word that would of got posses on to us--an' I've made it right with all of 'em. We don't owe none of 'em nothin'. Why they's plenty of sheriffs, much as they want to git me, wouldn't bushwhack me--not fer all the reward money they is, 'cause they know they's be'n times when I could of got 'em easy, an' didn't. I don't hold it agin' 'em. My rule is never kill a posse man or a sheriff onless it gits right down to you an' him fer it. They're doin' their duty accordin' to law--an' the laws has got to be uphelt--er this would be a hell of a country to live in--fer most folks.
human
They say McWhorter's gal's to home, he announced, casually. Purdy said nothing. Grimshaw dealt, picked up his hand, examined it minutely, and tossed the cards onto the blanket.
gpt
How about it, Purdy?
human
You seem to know,
gpt
Yes, answered the leader, without even glancing in his direction,
human
I generally know what's goin' on in the bad lands, an' out of 'em fer a ways. Mighty good lookin', they say. No answer from Purdy, and a deal or two went by. Again Grimshaw tossed away his cards:
gpt
Ain't she good lookin', Purdy?
human
Well, what if she is? What you drivin' at? If you got somethin' to say, why the hell don't you say it?
gpt
They ain't never no good comes from mixin' up with women--in our business. If they're good women they ain't goin' to have no truck with such as us, nohow--an' if they ain't, they'll double-cross you sure as hell sometime or other. I've read where most of the crooks an' outlaws that's caught, is caught 'cause they was stuck on some woman--either the woman double-crossed 'em, or the sheriffs or officers watches the woman, an' nabs the man when he goes to see her. 'Twas a woman got Billy the Kid caught--an' I could name some more right here in Montana.
human
Guess ridin' over to git McWhorter to fetch me out some tobacco from town ain't goin' to hurt none.
gpt
No. Only McWhorter won't be goin' to town till after lambin', an' it looks like he could remember tobacco with one tellin', instead of six in ten days.
human
Keep pretty close cases, don't you? Whose business is it if I was over there sixteen times? I ain't in jail, am I?
gpt
No--not yet, you ain't. Grimshaw's voice was low and hard. The game had ceased, and the four others were watching the two.
human
An', by the way things is framin', I don't expect you'll ever git there.
gpt
I didn't s'pose it mattered what a man done--between jobs,
human
It don't--so long as he leaves women alone, an' don't do nothin' that puts this gang in bad.
gpt
I never told her nothin' about the gang. I ain't goin' to marry her.
human
I know damned well you ain't. She despises you because yer a horse-thief. Grimshaw's voice suddenly dropped lower,
gpt
Cinnabar Joe spilled a mouthful, did he? I fell down on that job--maybe I'll have better luck, next time.
human
Mebbe you will. But, McWhorter's like Cinnabar Joe, an' all the rest that's friends of mine--he's safe, an' his stock's safe, an' By God, his _girl's_ safe! The leader paused and allowed his eyes to travel slowly over the faces of his five companions,
gpt
That goes--an' whatever else I say goes.