“‘I think he’s a cuckoo,’ maybe the kid’ll say. But you don’t pay no ’tention to that, but just keep on:
“‘And he’s got such good chances for the future’—see? Like that. ‘There ain’t a stiff on the line that’s likely to make the hit that bird’s due to pull off pretty soon. My!’ you’ll say. ‘Some nice girl’s missin’ a lot just because this fella’s a kind of a woman hater.’
“‘What d’ye mean woman hater?’ she asks.
“‘Oh,’ you’ll say, ‘some jane turned him down, it seems, and he’s got hard and bitter an’ everything. He never told me nothin’ about his troubles, but I c’n see he’s had ’em just by lookin’ in his eyes. And he’s likely to go ’way any day now,’ you’ll say. ‘I guess he’s saved up a lotta jack, and will be goin’ back to his old haunts and habits.’ Haunts and habits—that’ll get her! ‘Ain’t it too bad,’ you’ll be sayin’ then. ‘A man like that oughta have a nice girl to love ’im, and then he’d settle down and be a credit to the country. But I guess it’s too late!’ See—just like that. Was you goin’ over to-day to see ’er, ma’am?”
“Yes, I was just going to saddle up.”
“Then to-day’ll be a good time to spring it on ’er. And then maybe to-morrow you’ll go back again—see—and say:
“‘Well, he’s gone’—blunt, you know—sudden, kinda.
“‘Who’s gone?’ she’ll say. Course she savvies—see—but she’ll stall.
“‘Mr. Daisy,’ you’ll be tellin’ her; and then you’ll go to talkin’ about sumpin else. Get the idea?”
“But you won’t be gone.”