Gus agreed to this. "I been expectin' him to cut some capers. That's why I been hangin' around so steady."
"I know."
"Every time I peel a banana I peel an eye for Henry. I worry whenever you go out alone."
The younger man rose and nervously paced the floor. "I'm completely mystified," he admitted. "The whole affair has been a great disappointment to me. I thought I'd sprung a coup, but—I'm at a standstill. I'm stumped—checkmated."
"About that trouble between you an' him, eh? Why, we took your word for that."
"Unfortunately, that didn't help me very greatly. Other people aren't so easily convinced as you and Swope and Gage and Murphy. Damnation! I thought my troubles were over."
"Well, your money troubles is over—"
"They're the smallest part. I'd go back and start all over again if I could clean up that—that army record. It's a pretty flat triumph."
"Humph! Most triumphs is. A feller has a dream—a longin', an' he bows his back an' works his life away tryin' to realize it. If he does, the chances is he's disappointed. He finds he's kep' his back bent so long he can't straighten it. Look at me—pore as dirt an' scarcely enough to eat! I used to pray for a miracle; pray for money enough to do something for Ma an' the children—for a thousan' dollars. Here I am, president of a whole bank, but Ma's sick, Allie's miserable, an' I can't sleep nights for fear I'll lose what I got!"
"Poverty wouldn't have helped Ma's health—"