“What–safe with Judson Eells? Safe with Lapham behind the scenes? Say, you’ll never do at all. Have you heard the big news? Well, they’ve both skipped to Mexico and the depositors won’t get a cent.”
“Then what about my contract?” she burst out tearfully, “I’ve sold him my mine and now he’s run away, so who’s going to make the next payment?”
“They ain’t nobody,” grinned Wunpost, “and that’s just the point–I told you I’d come back with his scalp!”
“Yes, but what about us?” she clamored accusingly, “who’s going to pay for the road and all? Oh, 271I knew all the time that you’d never forgive me, and now you’ve just ruined everything.”
“Never asked me to forgive you,” defended Wunpost stoutly, “but I don’t mind admitting I was sore. It’s all right, of course, if you think you can play the game–but I never thought you’d rob a friend!”
“But you dared me to!” she cried, “and didn’t I offer it for almost nothing, just to keep you from getting killed? And then, after I’d done everything to get back your contract you didn’t even say ‘Thanks!’”
“No, sure not,” he agreed, “what should I be thanking you for? Did I ask you to get back my grubstake? Not by a long shot I didn’t–what I wanted was my mine, and you turned around and sold it to Eells. Well, where’s your friend now, and his yeller dog, Lapham? Skally-hooting across the desert for Mexico!”
“And isn’t my contract any good? Won’t the bank take it, or anybody? Oh, I think you’re just–just hateful!”
“You bet I am, kid!” he announced with a swagger, “that’s my long suit, savvy–hate! I never forgive an enemy and I never forget a friend, and the man don’t live that can do me! I’ll git him, if it takes a thousand years!”
“Oh, there you go,” she sighed, dusting her desk off petulantly, and then she bowed her head in thought. “But I must say,” she admitted, “you have done what you said. But I thought you were just bragging at the time.”