Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/189

 "I could see you two fellers worrited her," Mrs. Mahna grinned, "and I wa'n't s'prised to find she'd cast off and beat away. What you going to do about it, hey?"

"It is none of my business what she does," Urleigh declared, nettled by the river woman's hints and questions.

"Well, all I got to say is, she's a darned bright girl, and it's 'button, button, who's got the button!' I bet you you don't ketch her er ketch Murdong, either. Hue-e! I tell you, I bet them two's the slickest pair ever twisted slickers at their own game. She'll give you cards an' spades an' beat you, she'n that feller."

"Oh, Murdong isn't so much."

"Ain't he? Ain't he? That shows you don't know 'im. They tried to fool me, but them two's slick—slicker'n all the rest put together. You fellers ain't slick. You'll never get them, not into a shantyboat."

"No? Perhaps we don't want them."

"Shucks! You cayn't fool me. Jes' as Macrado said, you're s'prised she throwed them diamonds overboard."

"Oh, no! Not a bit surprised—that's a regular lady's trick, throwing diamonds overboard. Just like Miss Desbrow, especially."