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Well, I’ve done all I could! I admitted to ’im ’at I ’us wrong to breach that ole fight ag’in!

I know you did, Andy. An’ ’tain’t a-goin’ to do you no good to eat more dirt fer ’em ’less you’re prepared to eat six feet of it. Fer I hyeard Sid tell his daddy that you wusn’t the sort o’ man as could be bound by his word to keep the peace.

That’s sompen I cain’t understand, Rufe! If I had it in my heart to kill a man, I couldn’t act toward him like I ’us his friend!

Me nuther. I b’lieve in speakin’ my mind an’ lettin’ whatever comes up come out. But you have to fight fire with fire; you cain’t afford to take no chances when your life’s at stake.

What ’ld you do if you ’us in my place?

I ain’t a-sayin’ what I would do, but I know one thing I wouldn’t: I wouldn’t wait fer him to git the drop on me! I’d be the early bird!