Pay S. (Going.) I’ll round ’em up.
Grouse. An’ give that strange feller a tip that it ’ud be healthier fur him to take the next stage back to Dead Man’s Gulch.
Pay S. Stage! Humph! walkin’s good that direction. (Exit hurriedly R.)
Grouse. Men’s all fools, I guess. Fightin’ about claims an’ women as if there wasn’t plenty o’ both to go round. Women’s bigger fools to egg ’em on. I needn’t brag, ether. S’pose I’d drawed on Lonesome Mose a little furder, there’d been music in camp.
Enter Vance, R.
Vance. Hello, Grouse, you here!
Grouse. I guess so, ye see me, don’t ye?
Vance. I have that pleasure. (She courtsies.) You are waiting to see Jim of course. Where is that boy, anyway?
Grouse. (With toss of head.) Waitin’ fur Jim. I guess not. When I wait fur a man I wait at home.
Vance. Of course, Miss Baker, no offense.