"And I repeat I have every right to complain on finding myself put on a beggarly allowance of water at a moment's notice."
"We may be doing a perish before the rains come."
"Why, Good Lord! sir, what's a kerosene tin of water to a family? My wife is not a strong woman, and like all women in poor health, she's ready to blame others for her shortcomings. She has it at the back of her mind that I make a difficulty carrying the water; though, Good Lord! I've scraped my shins often enough on the tins. When I turned up with a single bucket this morning, and the goat had to go short, she put the blame at once on me. She wouldn't listen until she saw for herself the tanks were locked. Then home she went to throw herself on the bed. 'Never enough wood chopped to light a fire, now no water to wash with, not a soul to speak to, never anything to look at'—that's what I listened to until I left the place."
"Where did ye go to?"
"I had an appointment."
"Near the hotel, I reckon."
"Your joke, sir, could be in better taste. I had business with one of the shift bosses."
"At the hotel?"
"We did happen to meet at the hotel."