Jimmie thought it all over while he took a couple more drinks, and finally settled it to himself: “Aw, hell! What do I want with money? I ain't a-goin' to live no more!”
CHAPTER XIV. JIMMIE HIGGINS TAKES THE ROAD
I.
Jimmie Higgins was wandering down the street, when he ran into “Wild Bill”, who was, of course, greatly surprised to see his friend in a drunken condition. When he heard the reason, he revealed an unexpected side of his nature. If you judged “Wild Bill” by his oratory, you thought him a creature poisoned through and through, a soul turned rancid with envy, hatred and malice and all uncharitableness. But now the tears came into his eyes, and he put his arm over Jimmie's shoulder. “Say, old pal, that's bum luck! By God, I'm sorry!” And Jimmie, who wanted nothing so much as somebody to be sorry with, clasped Bill in his arms, and burst into tears, and told over and over again how he had gone to what had been his home, and found only a huge crater blown out by the explosion, and how he had gone about calling his wife and babies, until at last they had brought him one leg of his wife.
“Wild Bill” listened, until he knew the story through and then he said, “See here, old pal, let's you and me quit this town.”
“Quit?” said Jimmie, stupidly.
“Every time I open the front of my face now, the police jump in it. Leesville's a hell of a town, I say. Let's get out.”
“Where'll we go?”