He hoped to overhear
what was going on when the two went out again. Young Billy's
inordinate curiosity was quite natural. He had heard enough of
the current talk about the tenements and open lots to know that
something of a revengeful and retaliatory nature against the
Grogans was in the air; but as nobody who knew the exact details
had confided them to him, he had determined upon an investigation
of his own. He not only hated Cully, but the whole Grogan
household, for the pounding he had received at his hands, so he
was anxious to get even in some way.
After McGaw had locked both doors, shutting out his wife and
little Jack, their youngest, he took a bottle from the shelf,
filled two half-tumblers, and squaring himself in his chair,
said:--
"Did ye see her, Crimmy?"
"I did," replied Crimmins, swallowing the whiskey at a gulp.
"An' she'll come in wid us, will she?"
"She will, will she? She'll come in nothin'. I jollied her about
her flowers, and thought I had her dead ter rights, when she up
an' asked me what we was a-goin' to do for her if she jined, an'
afore I could tell her she opens the front door and gives me the
dead cold."
"Fired ye?" exclaimed McGaw incredulously.
"I'm givin' it to ye straight, Dan; an' she pulled a gun on me,
too,"--telling the lie with perfect composure.
Pages:
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83