"How do you know he ain'?"
"Oh, by the grape-vine telegraph. Those things always are known. Also have I heard the men at the party to-night talking about it."
"Bud ain' no boy. Don' you think he's old enough to decide fo' himself fo' or ag'in' the life of a law-breaker, as you call hit."
"No, I do not. Bud is several years younger than you in r-real age, and he is a child beside you in deter-rmination. Also, he admires you."
"Ah'm grateful for the compliment!"
"You could do anything with him."
"Ah'm doin' what Ah wan' to with him."
Von Rittenheim looked at his opponent in disgust, and fell back upon his last argument.
"You know well what are the chances of your getting caught. You've been caught before."
"Yes, but Ah won' be this time. Hit was fellers that was mad with me who told on me befo', 'n Ah've fixed hit this time so Ah ain' got no enemies. They's only one feller that might inform."