PEATTIE
Hush, man! Pete’s our grocer. Gus’s our butcher. Prisoner’s human, ain’t he? He’s got to eat—
LIEUTENANT (making note)
Bought groceries and meat daily. (Relieved) Well, that ain’t criminal.
PEATTIE (sulkily)
I never see him dynamite nobody, if that’s what you’re trying to get at. Allus bin civil enough to me. Gi’me a cigar once.
LIEUTENANT (poising pencil with same heavy police humor) Ah! Cigar! Loaded?
PEATTIE (annoyed)
No, ’twarn’t. ’Twas as good as any two fer a nickel I ever bought myself.
SCHWARTZENHOPFEL (scandalized as he remembers the episode and the price) Two for a nickel! It was a—(Pulls himself up sharply)