He hesitated perceptibly before he took down the receiver.

Then he grinned.
"Hello!" His voice was hoarse, slightly muffled.

He grinned again when he caught the mildly querulous tones of Sudden Selmer, sharpened a little by the transmitter.
"Where the dickens have you been?
I've been trying all evening to get you," Sudden complained.
"Huh?
Oh, I just got in.

I been fixing fence over west of here.

Took me till dark--No, the stock's all in--wind had blowed down a couple of them rotten posts--well, they was rotten enough to sag over, so I had to reset them--Had to reset them, I said! Dig new holes!" He turned his face a little away from the transmitter and coughed, then grinned while he listened.
"Oh, nothing--just a cold I caught--Don't amount to anything.