Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/75

 chaperon to drop in, junk copper went to twenty-two cents, and he cursed Mrs. Mahna.

"That damned woman lied to me!" he declared. "What'd she do that for?"

He was stunned by a thought. He stared at the water off the stern of his houseboat.

"Why, she—she done it just to get me to trip on down," he whispered. "Ain't that one of that danged old girl's tricks? She knowed—course she knowed, I 'lowed to make that girl Delia a good man. Oh, those blasted old river women! If 'twa'n't for them, Old Mississip'd be some comfort to live on—but they keep butting in and butting in, interfering with men's business. Shucks! Knowing her like I do, I bet—well, I bet when Delia gets to see me, and gets to know the liberal kind of a feller I'll be, buying her clothes and looking purty well dressed up myself! Old Mrs. Mahna be sunk in mid-channel. Delia 'n me'll make a great team if that old woman don't get her head full of notions. That makes twice she's spoiled me getting a nice wife, good lookin' an' so on—um-m. How'd she get that gasolene boat of Gost's? Something funny about that. If she bought it, she's rich. She ain't no common shantyboat lady lookin' for a man! I bet she's—sho! That's how come hit! I ain't heard of Gost being found daid or anything, but I bet that's how come hit! I ain't