human
Maybe you'll meet a friend of yours at the station when the train comes in,
gpt
A friend? Who?
human
That Merwell boy. Yates heard he was coming to-day. One of the cowboys from Merwell's ranch said so.
gpt
I don't know that I care to meet him, answered Dave.
human
He is no friend of mine.
gpt
That boy ought to have his hide tanned good and proper, growled the cowboy.
human
He's been a sore spot here for years.
gpt
Have you had trouble with him?
human
Yes, and so has everybody else on this ranch, and on his own ranch, too, for the matter of that. Not that he did anything very bad, continued Todd.
gpt
But it's jest his mean, measly ways. He don't know how to treat a hand civilly.
human
Isn't his father the same way?
gpt
Sometimes, but not always. The old man knows that the boys won't stand for too much of that thing.
human
Who is at their ranch besides Mr. Merwell?
gpt
Oh, the regular hands, that's all.
human
No young folks?
gpt
No.
human
I should think it would be lonely for Link.
gpt
Maybe it is. But that ain't no reason why he should act so mean,
human
I should think he'd want to invite some of his friends to visit him.
gpt
Maybe Mr. Merwell don't want it. He's putty close, you must remember, and it costs money to entertain.
human
Well, I pity Link if he has got to stay there alone.
gpt
He don't stay all the time. He rides to town, and smokes and gambles, and gets into all sorts of trouble, and then he gets scared to death for fear the old man will find it out,