“Yeah.”
“Well, I’ll be ⸺! Jim Wheeler! What did he say, Joe?”
“Nothin’. Wasn’t anythin’ to be said.”
“Uh-huh. Makes it kinda hard for yuh, cowboy. Anyway, yuh had to meet him sooner or later. Ain’tcha goin’ out to see Peggy?”
“No, I can’t do that, Honey.”
“I s’pose not. I was past there today—this mornin’. Saw Laura. Didn’t sleep none, I reckon. She’s a darned pretty girl, but this mornin’ her eyes shore looked like two burned holes in a blanket. I pulled off an awful fox pass last night. I took off my coat and shoes, ’cause I shore was in misery, and then Laura comes hoppin’ in on me. I has to make my little bow, and my belt missed connections with my pants. Na-a-aw, I saved myself, all right; but it shore needed quick action. Either that tailor is awful cock-eyed, or I’m a queer built jigger.”
“You didn’t see Peggy?” asked Joe softly.
“Nope. I asked Laura how she was, and Laura asks me how any other girl would be under them conditions. If I was you, I’d go out and have a talk with her. But not the way yuh look now, Joe. Rest up a while. Let Len Kelsey run the office for a few days.”
“I resigned this mornin’, Honey.”
“Yuh resigned? Yuh mean you’ve quit bein’ sheriff? Aw, ⸺, why didja do that? You ⸺ idjit! Throwin’ up a job like that. Ho-o-o-o—hum-m-m-m! Joe, yo’re a ⸺ fool.”