peaker.

"Yes, if he'd given up right that first trip of yours down there. When he
refused I knew his breed too well. He's as set and slow and stubborn as
his old dad ever was. That's what ailed those two, they were too near
alike; and you'll never catch Asher Aydelot bending to our plans now. I
warn you."

"Well, but about this bank account?" Champers queried.

"Oh, the fates played the devil with everything in two weeks. Doc Carey
got in with Miss Jane Aydelot down at Philadelphia, and she came straight
to Cloverdale, and, womanlike, made things so hot there I had to let loose
of everything at once or lose everything I had saved for myself. Serves
her right, for Asher's pile went into the dump, although there's naturally
no love lost between the two. But this Miss Jane is Aydelot clear through.
She's so honest and darned set you can't budge her. But she's a timid
woman and so she's safe if you keep out of her range. She won't chase you
far, but she's got fourteen rattles and a button."

"Well, well, let her rattle, and get to pusiness," Hans Wyker demanded.
"Here's Champers says he's here yust for pusiness and he wants to get
Aydelot and Carey, too."

"Gentlemen!" Champers struck the table with his fist. "Let's play fair
now, so's not to spoil each other's games. I'll fix Aydelot if it's in me
to do it, just because he's stood in my way once too often. But he's my
side line, him and Carey is. I'm here for business. Tell me what you are
here for."

Hans Wyker's little eyes were red with pent-up anger and malice as he
burst out:

"Shentlemen, you know my hart luck. You see where I be today. I not repeat
no tiresome history here. Kansas yust boomin'! Wykerton dead! Yon Yacob
own all der groun' right oop to der corporation line on tree side, an' he
not sell one inch for attitions to dis town. He say dere notings to keep
town goin' in two, tree year. What we care? We be rich by den an' let it
go to der devil. But he not sell. Den I go mit you and we organize town
company. We mark townsite, we make Grass River sell to us. We boom! boom!
boom! We knock Careyville from de prairie alretty, mak' Yon Yacob go back
to Cincinnati where he belong mit his Chews. He damned queer Chew, but he
Chew all de same all right, all right. I want to down Yon Yacob, an' I do
it if it take tree hundred fifty years. I'll kill him if he get in my way.
I hate him. He run me off my saloon in ol' Carey Crossin'; my prewery
goin' smash mit der