"
"All right; neither have I. He's gone back to his people probably;
Indians come and go. Now that will be all about Willy Tiger," he said
in a tone of finality.
"Payne, if you're going to stay here we'd better talk like business
men. I'm a business man."
"I try to be."
"Sure. No sense wasting any energy fighting. You're going to develop
your tract here?"
"Going to try to; yes."
Garman studied him with new intentness for a moment.
"And yet you look like you had business sense, too."
Payne made no reply.
"You know what a poor business proposition you've got, of course,"
continued Garman. "Even assuming that things are as you think they
are?"
"What things?"
Garman smiled slightly, a slow, amused smile.
"Payne, if I told you that I'm afraid you'd pull up stakes and get out
_pronto_."
Payne laughed.
"That would leave you broken-hearted, wouldn't it, Garman?"
"No-o-o," said Garman; "but it would--well it would deprive me of your
company. I'm a sociable animal, Payne. I crave company; I like to
have all sorts of people about me. Take Ramos, for instance; did you
ever see a more supercilious, sneaky, disagreeable specimen of the
half-breed Mexican? Neither have I. You, I suppose, wouldn't have him
'round you."
"Not if I was able to kick him away.
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