human
Yo're shore shoutin', growled Corwin, spitting violently and rubbing his lips.
gpt
Don't like th' looks of it. Ain't got no love for a sand storm. He let his blinking eyes rest for a moment on his companion's boots, noted an entire absence of any signs of spur straps, glanced at the guns and at the opulent bump in one of the trouser pockets, noted the blue neckerchief, and gazed into the light blue eyes, which were twinkling at his expression of disgust.
human
D--n th' sand, he grunted, spitting again.
gpt
How do you like this town of ourn, outside of th' dust, now that you've seen more of it?
human
Leavin' out a few things besides th' dust--such as bein' too quiet, dead, an' lackin' 'most everythin' a town should have--I'd say it is a purty fair town for its kind. But, bad as it is, it ain't near as bad as that bed I've been sleepin' in. It reminds me of some of th' country I've rid over. It's full of mesas, ridges, canyons, an' valleys, an' all of 'em run th' wrong way. Cuss such a bed. I gave it up after awhile, th' first night, an' played Idaho cards till I was so sleepy I could 'a' slept on a cactus. After that, though, it ain't been so bad. It's all in gettin' used to it, I reckon.
gpt
Well, I reckon there ain't no bed like a feller's own. Speakin' of th' town bein' dead, that is yore fault; you shouldn't stay so close to th' hotel. Wander around a little an' you'll find it plumb lively. There's Red Frank's an' Kane's--they are high-strung enough for 'most anybody.
human
Red Frank's, cogitated Johnny. Then he laughed.
gpt
I come near goin' in there, at that. Anyhow, I shore started.
human
Why didn't you go on? inquired the sheriff, speaking as if from polite, idle curiosity.
gpt
You might 'a' seen some excitement in there.
human
Somebody tried to play a joke on me, grinned Johnny,
gpt
How'd yore boys make out?
human
They said they wasn't in there at all. Reckon somebody got excited or drunk if they wasn't tryin' to make a fool out of me. But, come to think of it, I _did_ hear a shot.
gpt
They're not as rare as they're goin' to be, growled the sheriff.
human
But it's hard to stop th' shootin'. Takes time.
gpt
Reckon so. You got a bad crowd of Greasers here, too, which makes it harder--though they're generally strong on knifeplay. Mexicans, monte, an' mescal are a bad combination.
human
Better tell yore boys to look sharp in Red Frank's. It's a bad place, 'specially if a man's got likker in him. An' they'll steal him blind.
gpt
Don't have to tell 'em, for I sent 'em home, replied Johnny, and then he grinned.
human
An' there ain't no man livin' can rob 'em, neither, for I wouldn't let 'em draw any of their pay. Bein' broke, they didn't kick up as much of a fuss as they might have. I know how to handle my outfit. Say! he exclaimed.
gpt
Yo're th' very man I been lookin' for, an' I didn't know it till just this minute. Do you know where I can pick up a herd of a couple or three hundred yearlin's at a fair figger?
human
You might get a few here an' there, but they ain't worth botherin' about. Anyhow, prices are too high. Better look around on yore way back, up on some of them God-forsaken ranges north of here. But how'll you handle a herd with yore outfit gone?
gpt
I'll handle it by buyin' subject to delivery. Let somebody else have th' fun of drivin' a lot of crazy-headed yearlin's all that distance. Growed-up steers are bad enough, an' I've had all I want of them for awhile. Well, he chuckled,
human
It's a little early in th' day for me, but I'm with you. This blasted wind looks like it's gettin' worse,
gpt
It's only addin' to th' liveliness of yore little town,
human
We ain't had a sand storm in three years, boasted the sheriff, hard on his companion's heels.
gpt
I see you know th' way,
human
You got to take somethin' with us, Ed,