human
It's ripping, he sighed,
gpt
Why 'of course'?
human
For the same reason that a sane man doesn't peek down the muzzle of a loaded gun when he is monkeying with the trigger. I want to live a little while longer.
gpt
I thought, perhaps, it was on account of your investments,
human
Not at the present writing, amended Harlan with a grin.
gpt
I got a case of cold feet when we had that little let-up a while back, and when the market opened I cleaned up and sent the sure-enough little round dollars home to Ohio.
human
And still you won't print this?
gpt
I'd like to; you don't know how much I'd like to. But they'd hang me and sack the shop. I shouldn't blame 'em. If what you have said here ever gets into cold type, it's good-by Mirapolis. Why, Brouillard, the whole United States would rise up and tell us to get off the map. You've made us look like thirty cents trying to block the wheels of a million dollars--and that is about the real size of it, I guess.
human
Then it is your opinion that if this were printed it would do the business?
gpt
There isn't the slightest doubt about it.
human
Thank you, Harlan, that is what I wanted to find out--if I had made it strong enough. It'll be printed. I'll put it on the wires to the Associated Press. I was merely giving you the first hack at it.
gpt
Gee--gosh! hold on a minute! exclaimed the newsman, jumping up and snapping his fingers.
human
If I weren't such a dod-gasted coward! Let me run in a few 'It is alleged's', and I'll chance it.
gpt
No; it goes as it lies. There are no allegations. It is merely a string of cold facts, as you very well know. Print it if you like, and I'll see to it that they don't hang you or loot the office. I have two hundred of the safest men on my force under arms to-night, and we'll take care of you. I'm in this thing for blood, Harlan, and when I get through, this little obstruction in the way of progress that Cortwright and his crowd planned, and that you and I and a lot of other fools and knaves helped to build, will be cooling itself under two hundred feet of water.
human
Good Lord! said the editor, still unable to compass the barbaric suddenness of it. Then he ran his eye over the scratch sheets again.
gpt
Does this formal notice that the waste-gates will be closed three weeks from to-morrow go as it stands?
human
It does. I have the department's authority. You know as well as I do that unless a fixed day is set there will be no move made. We are all trespassers here, and we've been warned off. That's all there is to it. And if we can't get our little belongings up into the hills in three weeks it's our loss; we had no business bringing them here.
gpt
You say 'we' and 'our.' That reminds me; Garner told me no longer ago than this afternoon that you are on record for something like a hundred thousand dollars' worth of choice Mirapolis front feet. How about that?
human
I've kept my salary in a separate pocket, Harlan. Besides that--well, I came here with nothing and I shall go away with nothing. The rest of it was all stage money.
gpt
Say--by hen! ejaculated the owner of the _Spot-Light_. Then, smiting the desk:
human
You ought to let me print that. I'd run it in red head-lines across the top of the front page. But, of course, you won't.... Well, here goes for the fireworks and a chance of a soaped rope.