'I merely
asks it as a question.'
"'That wouldn't do,' says Doc Peets, 'but anyhow yere comes Wilkins
how, an' if, as Enright says, the're out of chuck up his way, I
reckons I'll lose a small bet to the old shorthorn ontil sech times
as we devises some scheme all reg'lar.'
"'Howdy, Wilkins?' says Doc, mighty gay an' genial, 'how's things
stackin' up?'
"'Mighty ornery,' says Wilkins.
"'Feel like makin' a little wager this A. M.?' says Doc.
"'What do you-all want to gamble at?' says Wilkins.
"'Oh,' says Doc, 'I'm feelin' a heap careless about what I do gamble
at. S'pose I goes you ten dollars's worth of grub the Lordsburg
buckboard don't show up none to-day?'
"'If I had ten dollars I'd about call you a lot on that,' says
Wilkins, 'but I'm a pore cuss an' ain't got no ten dollars, an'
what's the use? None of you-alls ain't got no Red Light whiskey-
chips you ain't usin', be you? S'pose you-alls gropes about in your
war-bags an' sees. I'm needin' of a drink mighty bad.'
"Old Wilkins looks some queer about the eyes, an' more'n usual
shaky, so we gives him a big drink an' he sorter braces up.
"'I'll back Wilkins's end of that bet you offers, Doc,' says Tutt,
'so consider it made, will you?'
"'You was offerin' to bet grub,' says the old man, powerful peevish
an' fretful.
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