"Only what?"
"There'll be regular trouble for the guy, if I ever find out you've lied to me."
"What business—"
"Ah, cut that!" snarled Butch. "You're my sister—see? And you're a damn' little fool, and somebody's got to look out for you. And that means me. You go ahead and try this stage thing all you like—but duck the men, duck 'em every time!"
He eyed her momentarily from a vast and aloof coign of vantage. She was dumb with resentment, oppressed by amazement and a little in awe of the boy, her junior though he was.
"Now, lis'en: got any money?"
"No—yes—fifty cents," she stammered.
"That ain't goin' to carry you far over the bumps. Who's goin' to put up for you while you're lookin' for this job-thing? Your frien' Maizie?"
"I don't know—I guess so—yes: I'm going to stay with her."
"Well, you won't last long if you don't come through with some coin every little while."