"I don't remember you sheddin' any tears when I left, an' I don't recall you beggin' me to hurry back," sez I. I was pleased at the way I was bein' received an' I meant to make him show his hand.
"You know as well as I do that things allus go better on this ranch when you're here."
"Yes," sez I.
"An' you know 'at I don't like to beg no man to do anything; but you ought to see that I know that you're the usefullest man I ever had, an' you oughtn't to be so fly-uppity," sez he.
"Now see here, Jabez," sez I, "you're one o' the kind o' men who never own up 'at a man was fit to live until after he's dead. You're like some o' these Easterners—they get so everlastin' entranced with the beautiful scenery that they forget to water their ridin' hosses. I don't ask no special favors, but I ain't so mortal thick-skinned myself, an' you ought to learn sometime that there is hosses 'at work better when they're not beat up an' yelled at."
"Are you goin' to stay this time?" sez he.
"As long as it's agreeable—all around," sez I. "Is everything goin' smooth?"
The down-hearted look came into his eyes again. "She won't speak to me," sez he.
"You don't mean to say 'at you've gone an' got married," sez I, "or that you are tryin' to?"
"I ain't such a fool," he snaps. "It's Barbie, I mean."