"Duke brought a crew of workmen up here to build Tunneltown. Ben Vickers coaxed most of them away by offering them a bonus to work for him. That left us awfully short-handed, and Duke pitched in himself. He wasn't used to that kind of work, and he got killed.... Oh, I know that Vickers was only playing a rough game the way it's played. I don't want to be bitter. I'd give a good deal to have a cleaner town."
"You could clean it up."
"Me?" She seemed genuinely surprised.
"You and the town council. And the marshal. Maybe he'd need a deputy or two."
"I don't know. The trouble is that we're making money."
"That's always the trouble. At least, it's always the argument. But there's a good deal of honest business in town. There's a livery barn and smithy, a general store, hotel, barber shop, restaurant...."
"Most of those aren't doing very well, Mr. Tesno."
"Has it occurred to you that the saloons and gambling tables are hurting them?"
"No," she said thoughtfully. "I suppose there's money spent in the saloons that could be spent elsewhere. But, Mr. Tesno, three of the members of the council are saloonkeepers. The other is the hotel man."
"Is Pinky Bronklin on the council?"