Peters cleared his rasp-like throat. "Mo' important than some folks mout think."
"Some folks don't think," Starbuck replied.
"And then ag'in," said Peters, "thar air others that does."
"Ah, hah, an' ef you air one of 'em, out with what you air thinkin'. Up in the hills one time a dog bit an old feller, and his son's cotch the dog an' put a rope around his neck to hang him. But they kept on a standin' thar till finally the old feller 'low: 'Say, boys, when you've got to hang a dog, do it as quick as you kin. Do you see whut I am a drivin' at?"
Peters gave a gurgling, mirthless chuckle; and loose-jointed, shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "Well, nobody ain't never accused me of not understandin' things—yit."
"Mebbe it's because nobody ain't never paid you that much attention."
"Oh, you know how to talk. Ain't nobody ever denied that, but talk that don't lead up don't amount to nuthin'. Starbuck, our families wan't right good friends in the past."
"Wan't in love," Old Jasper agreed, and Peters coughed.
"Yes, that's a fact. An' I've got an old-fashioned, single-barrel, cap-and-ball pistol that uster belong to a Starbuck."
"Yes, and a way back yander it killed a Peters, I've hearn."