Page:Hell-Bent fer Heaven (Hughes 1924).pdf/27

Rh

Yeh, I am, on the outside. The thing’s in here [taps himself on the stomach], whatever it is. I tried to git in the army arter you left, but they wouldn’t have me.

Fust I ever hyeard of it, Rufe.

[With a show of annoyance]

Well, it’s not the fust I’ve hyeard of it. Rufe don’t tell his business to everybody.

What post did you go to to git edzamined—if ’tain’t no secret?

I wusn’t edzamined by no army doctor. I wus a-goin’ to be, but a man down at Pineville looked me over an’ said it wusn’t no use.

Wus he a doctor?

[Evasively]

Not edzackly; but he had worked fer one an’ knowed how to edzamine folks.