This innocent question so took Shoshone by surprise that for a moment he could not speak. Then he said, sadly:
“I would, but she won’t have me. I don’t blame her for not liking one so rough.”
“Ut-tut, I haf see in her eyes, ven she look at you, dot she likes you, und——”
Here Shoshone seized the old man’s hand and fairly wrung it in his joy. The shoemaker said, simply:
“Vell, I call de Bennie to bring me mein tools und I pegin piziness, if dere is any; und if not, den ve set de tent. Und Helen vill haf de tent till she can get a house. Vill you come?”
Would he go to where Helen was? He certainly would, and did.
John and Dopey had been in that crowd. John’s resources always depended on the men that he could fleece at gambling, or some other game of confidence. They had resumed their full beards and dressed in a different manner, so they felt sure they would not be recognized if anyone of the crowd at Hellandgone should be at the birth of the new town. John had caught sight of Morris, and said to Dopey:
“Either that Jew is the smartest detective in the United States or the biggest fool for luck. It doesn’t matter much which, but it seems impossible to get rid of him.”
“Have you tried de right way yet, boss? You allus lets him get away. It wouldn’t be noticed if he was to get a stray bullet in his gizzard now. There is allus a shooting-match in this kind of a ruction.”
“You are right. This is the place and time to rid ourselves of him. Here we put our necks in danger, sneaking in the back way, so to speak, and run up against the old man, and the daughter still on our hands. We have got to play this game fine or we’ll lose. And here she has come to her senses again. That is one of the unaccountable things no one can explain. Some persons go suddenly insane and as suddenly regain their reason. It doubles our danger. And Muriel has turned such a tiger-cat about her. Oh, hide! hide quick! For if God is to judge me, here comes my wife, and the boy with her. How shall we get him away, for no one knows when or what he may tell?”