I know you, though, by gum! you _do_ look a
heap like the ingineer from Grandon. Mebbe you'n him's related. But see
here, I kin tell you by that, allus."
With a quick movement, the tramp sprang forward and pushed up the hat of
the hunter, revealing in the roots of the hair a red, ragged scar.
"Your loving wife made that, pardner, and I 'spose you'll acknowledge the
corn now."
"Confound you!"
The hunter seemed angry enough to annihilate the tramp, but the latter
stood back and grinned complacently in his face.
"Couldn't fool me, brother," chuckled Jounce. "I 'member when Iris gin ye
that rap. She sticks to ye like a burr, pardner, and won't let ye play
sweet on the ladies, as you'd like. Kinder mean fur a wife to keep sich a
sharp eye out fur her lord, but I tell ye, Iris is grit to ther backbone,
and she's jealous, too. But I won't tantalize yer, coz 'taint jest; but
'sposin' you gin me a little rhino? I'm busted--dead broke; out o' rocks,
and wrecked on a lee shore."
The man uttered an imprecation.
"I see that you know me," he finally articulated. "I've fooled a good
many, but it seems a loving relative can't be deceived.
Pages:
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60