“For yerself?” Jim mildly inquired.
“For the maid,” said “By-an’-by” Brown; “an’ I was ’lowin’,” he added, frankly, “that you might ’blige her.”
“Well, now,” Jim Turley exclaimed, “I’d like t’ wonderful well! But, ye see,” he objected, faintly, “bein’ a ol’ bachelor I isn’t s’posed t’—”
“Anyhow,” “By-an’-by” Brown broke in, “I jus’ got t’ have a father by Satu’day night.”
“An’ I’m a religious man, an’—”
“No objection t’ religion,” Brown protested. “I’m strong on religion m’self. Jus’ as soon have a religious father as not. Sooner. Now,” he pleaded, “they isn’t nobody else in the world t’ ’blige me.”
“No,” Jim Turley agreed, in distress; “no—I ’low not.”
“An’ I jus’ got,” declared Brown, “t’ have a father by Satu’day night.”
“Course you is!” cried Jim Turley, instantly siding with the woebegone. “Jus’ got t’!”
“Well?”