"That's an ol' friend." "No doubt, but I see no sense in wearing it here.

What are you afraid of ?" He stroked his mustache, eyeing me.
"Wal, personally, stranger, I ain't greatly feerd o' nuthin', but I wus hired fer to keep people outer this shebang.

There ain't no work goin' on, so I don't hav' no niggers to keep folks out." "Who employed you ?" "That don't make no difference.

Those wus my orders--not to talk, nor let enybody hang 'round except you folks." "Then we were expected ?" in surprise.
"Sure; I reckon yer 'd a been hoofin' it up the road long afore this otherwise.

Still, I dunno," with a suggestive wink, "I 've got a likin' fer pretty girls." I glanced at her, where she had sank down on a dilapidated sofa, but no expression of her face told me she had overheard.