human
Nelson wants to know if yo're hungry,
gpt
Take it--away! mumbled the indignant cook.
human
I _won't_ eat! Who's goin' to make me? he demanded with a show of pugnacity.
gpt
I won't!
human
Then don't! he said.
gpt
Shut yore face--others kin eat! He turned his whole body, stiff as a ramrod, and looked at each of the others in turn.
human
Don't pay no 'tention to him. I kin--eat th'--d--d harness,
gpt
Yo're a h--l of an outfit, he said without conviction.
human
What do you say about goin' up to th' hotel an' gettin' somethin' to eat? It's past grubtime, but let's see if they'll have th' nerve to try to tell us to get out. Broke? he inquired, and as they silently arose to their feet, which seemed to take a great deal of concentration, he chuckled. Then his face hardened.
gpt
Where's yore guns?
human
That gent loaned us ten apiece on 'em, he said.
gpt
Yo're a'right,
human
An' yo're a fine, locoed bunch, partin' with yore guns in a strange town, snapped Johnny.
gpt
You head for th' hotel, _pronto_! G'wan!
human
Goo'-bye! he called.
gpt
I _won't_ eat! Goo'-bye.
human
Them infants don't need guns, he asserted, digging into a pocket,
gpt
Ten apiece, he answered nonchalantly, as behove the referee of drunken disputes, the adviser of sodden men, the student of humanity's dregs, whose philosophy of life was rotten to the core because it was based purely on the vicious and the weak, and whose knowledge, adjudged abysmal and cyclopedic by an admiring riffraff of stupefied mentality, was as shallow, warped, and perverted as the human derelicts upon which his observations were based. As Johnny's hand came up with the roll of bills the man of liquor kept his face passive by an act of will, but there crept into the ratlike eyes a strange gleam, which swiftly faded.
human
Put it way, he said heartily, a jovial, free-handed good fellow on the instant.
gpt
We got it back, an' more. It was worth th' money to have these where they wouldn't be too handy. We allus stake a good loser--it's th' policy of th' house. Take these instead of th' stake. He slid the heavy weapons across the bar.
human
What'll you have?
gpt
Same as you, replied Johnny, and he slowly put the cigar into a pocket.
human
Purty quiet in here,
gpt
Yeah, said the bartender, pushing the money back again;
human
Tell you what, said Johnny, grinning to conceal his feelings.
gpt
You keep them bills. If I keep 'em I'll have to let them fools have their guns back for nothin'. I'm aimin' to take ten apiece out of their pay. If you don't want it, give it to th' blonde, with Mr. Nelson's compliments. It won't be so hard for me to get acquainted with her, then.
human
Yo're no child, I'm admittin'. Reckon you been usin' yore head quite some since you was weaned.
gpt
I'm tired. Get somebody to take my place.
human
All right; mebby this gent will sit in an' kill a little time. How 'bout it, stranger?
gpt
My four-man outfit ain't leavin' me no time to kill, he answered.
human
I got to trail along behind 'em an' pick up th' strays.
gpt
Turn 'em loose tonight. What's th' use of herdin' with yearlin's, anyhow? If you get tired of their company an' feel like tryin' yore luck, come in an' join us.
human
If I find that I got any heavy time on my han's I'll spend a couple of hours with you, replied Johnny. As he turned toward the door he glanced at the bartender.
gpt
Don't forget th' name when you give her th' forty,
human
I got th' best mem'ry of any man in this section. See you later, mebby.