human
What's become of Mulford, I asked;
gpt
Dick Mulford, who used to be here?
human
Why, yes, you must have known him--some of his friends called him Muffles.
gpt
I've only been here six months--another man had it before me. He put these fixtures in.
human
Maybe you can tell me?
gpt
Guess he means the feller who blew in here first month we come, the bar-keeper answered, addressing his remark to the proprietor.
human
He said he'd been runnin' the place once.
gpt
Oh, you mean that guy! Yes, I got it now, answered the proprietor, with some animation, as if suddenly interested.
human
He come in the week we opened--worst-lookin' bum you ever see--toes out of his shoes, coat all torn. Said he had no money and asked for something to eat. Billy here was goin' to fire him out when one of my customers said he knew him. I don't let no man go hungry if I can help it, and so I sent him downstairs and cook filled him up. After he had all he wanted to eat he asked Billy if he might go upstairs into the front bedroom. I don't want nobody prowlin' 'round--not that kind, anyhow--but he begged so I sent Billy up with him. What did he do, Billy? You saw him.
gpt
Didn't do nothin' but just look in the door, he held on to the jamb and I thought he was goin' to fall. Then he said he was much obliged, and he walked downstairs again and out the door cryin' like a baby, and I ain't seen him since.
human
only confirmed my fears. Muffles had gone on from bad to worse; the place had been sold out by his partners; Muffles had become a drunkard, and, worse than all, the indictment against him had been pressed for trial despite the Captain's efforts, and he had been sent to the Island for a year for receiving and hiding stolen goods. He had been offered his freedom by the District Attorney if he would give up the names of the two men who had stolen the silverware, but he said he'd rather
gpt
and they sent him up. Some half-orphan asylum had taken the children. One thing Bowser knew and he would
human
and he didn't care who heard it, and that was that there was