human
You must eat, now,
gpt
One hundred dollars, he said, as though speaking to himself,
human
Cass Grimshaw is a horse-thief. Apparently, horses are held in higher regard than mere wives.
gpt
Looks that way. I suppose they figure a man could steal more of 'em.
human
And now that Purdy has stolen her from you, will you continue the search, or look around for another. Surely, wives are cheap--another hundred dollars oughtn't to make any difference.
gpt
No. Another hundred won't make any difference. Win Endicott was a fool to post that reward. It makes things look bad----
human
Look bad! cried the girl, angrily.
gpt
Could it look any worse than it is?
human
No, agreed the Texan,
gpt
Because, now--he'll probably claim the reward he and Long Bill--and you will have had your trouble for your pains.
human
Claim the reward! exclaimed the Texan. To the girl's surprise he seemed to grasp at the thought as a drowning man would grasp at a straw. There was a new light in his eyes and the words seemed to hold a ray of hope.
gpt
Do you suppose he would? Would he hold her safe for a thousand dollars? Prob'ly he'll try to get more! The man talked rapidly in short jerky sentences.
human
How'd Long Bill cross the river? Have those two got together? Does Purdy know about the reward?
gpt
Long Bill was riding----
human
Purdy's horse?
gpt
Not the one Purdy rode today--but, I think I've seen Purdy ride that horse.
human
But, why did they go on spreadin' these bills? Why didn't they keep it to themselves? The girl shook her head, and after a few moments of silence, during which his fists opened and closed as if striving to grasp at the truth, the Texan spoke:
gpt
Maybe if they had the girl hid away safe, they wanted folks to be on the lookout for me.
human
Here are blankets, she said,
gpt
Never mind the bunk, he said,
human
I'll sleep in the hay. I'll be wanting an early start. You've helped, girl, he said looking straight into her eyes,
gpt
You sure don't figure on starvin' me none, Jennie,
human
Ranchin's some different from bartendin'--an' you're workin' awful hard, Joe. She surveyed the half-completed stable with critical eye:
gpt
Couple more weeks an' it'll be done! she exclaimed in admiration,
human
I didn't know you was so handy. Look over to the house.
gpt
Gee! Curtains in the window! Looks like a regular outfit, now.
human
Do you like 'em--honest? I didn't think you'd even notice they was hung. With the pride of new proprietorship, her eyes travelled over the tiny log cabin, the horse corral with its new peeled posts, and the stable which still lacked the roof:
gpt
We ain't be'n here quite two months, an' the best part is, we done it all ourselves. Why, Joe, I can't hardly believe we've really got an outfit of our own--with horses an' two hundred an' fifty head of cattle! It don't seem real. Seems like I'm bound to wake up an hear Hank roarin' to git up an' git breakfast. That's the way it ended so many times--my dream. I'm so sick of hotels I hope I'll never see another one all my life!
human
You an' me both! It's the same with bartendin'. But you ain't a-goin' to wake up. This here's _real_!
gpt
Oh, I hope we can make a go of it! cried the girl, a momentary shadow upon her face,
human
I hope nothin' happens----
gpt
They ain't nothin' goin' to happen, he reassured her,
human
Who's that?