Page:Hugh Pendexter--Kings of the Missouri.djvu/43

 "He's a good trader, a ripping good river and mountain man. One of the kings of the Missouri. What's his complaint against you?"

"He has a daughter. I—I like her. He doesn't like to have me like her."

Bridger grinned broadly in sympathetic amusement.

"Old man acted rough, eh? They sometimes do unless you marry a' Injun squaw. No chance for trouble with them as a feller is never spoken to by, an' mustn't speak to, his father-in-law. Everything goes as smooth as a fiddle. But work?"

"Parker said the A. F. C. would see to it I got none in St. Louis."

"It's like the A. F. C. Won't give a man his bread an' butter an' don't 'low to let any one else. They'll have more important things to think about afore the season's over. Now let's see. We're all finished up here. A few weeks ago I could have used you fine. This fussing round with papers makes me nervous, an' I reckon you'd done it quicker'n a wolf can steal meat."

"I've done quite a bit of it. Parker wants to fix it to drive me from town. And you can't use me here?"