human
About all in, Jim? he inquired understandingly.
gpt
Little out of your usual line, I reckon. Take a bit o' rest thar, an' ye'll be all right. It's safe 'nough fer the present whar we are, fer as thet bunch o' chicken thieves is concerned. Yer wa'n't hurt, or nuthin', durin' the scrap?
human
No more than a few bruises, but it an happened so quickly I haven't any breath left. I'll be all right in a minute. How are we fixed for ammunition?
gpt
Blame pore, if yer ask me; not more'n twenty cartridges atween us. I wa'n't a lookin' fer no such scrap just now; but we'll get along, I reckon, fer thar ain't any o' that bunch anxious ter get hurt none, less maybe it might be Lacy. What gets my goat is this yere plug tobacco, and he gazed mournfully at the small fragment in his hand.
human
That ain't hardly 'nough ov it left fer a good chaw; how are you fixed, Jim?
gpt
Never use it, Dan, but here's a badly smashed cigar.
human
That'll help some--say, ain't that one o' them shirky birds yonder? Sure; it's Bill himself. I don't know whether ter take a snap-shot at the cuss, er wait an' hear what he's got ter say--Hello, there!
gpt
Hello yourself, he answered.
human
Is that you, Brennan?
gpt
It's me all right, Lacy, he replied deliberately.
human
You ought ter organise a sharpshooters' club among that gang o' yours; I was plumb disgusted the way they handle fire-arms.
gpt
Well, we've got yer now, Dan, so yer might as well quit yer crowin'. We don't have ter do no more shootin'; we'll just naturally sit down yere, an' starve yer out. Maybe yer ready to talk now?
human
Sure; what's the idea?
gpt
Well, yer an officer ov the law, ain't yer? Yer was chose marshal ter keep the peace, an' take care o' them that raised hell in Haskell. Ain't that yer job?
human
I reckon it is.
gpt
And didn't I do more'n anybody else ter get yer appointed? Then what are yer goin' back on me for, and the rest ov the boys, an' takin' sides along with a murderer? We want Jim Westcott, an' you bet we're a-goin' ter get him.
human
Nice of yer ter declare yer intentions, Lacy, he admitted soberly,
gpt
Then what are yer fightin' fer Westcott fer?
human
An' yer won't give him up?
gpt
Not in a thousand years, an' yer might as well save yer breath, Bill, an' get out. I've told you straight, and I reckon you and your gang know me. Nobody never told you that Dan Brennan was a quitter, did they?
human
But you blame fool, and Lacy's voice plainly indicated his anger.
gpt
You can't fight this whole camp; we'll get yer, dead or alive.
human
Yer welcome ter try; I ain't askin' no sorter favour; only yer better be blame keerful about it, fer my trigger finger appears ter be almighty nervous ter-day--drop that!