"Say now, Mr. Allen, listen!"
"I'm all ears, son!"
"Now don't tell everybody I'm afraid of the trail!"
"Oh, you're the kid!" exclaimed a bell boy. "Say, there was an old
lady here once that used to go out every morning and pray to the Lord
to close the earth's gap, it made her so nervous! Why don't you try
that, kid? Maybe the Lord would take a suggestion from a New Yorker."
Nucky rushed to the dining room. He was too angry and resentful to eat
much. He drank two cups of coffee, however, and swallowed some toast.
"Ain't you going to eat your eggs?" demanded the waitress. "What's the
matter with you? Folks always stuff themselves, here. Say, don't let
the trail scare you. I was that way at first, but finally I got my
nerve up and there's nothing to it. Say, let me give you some advice.
There's only a few folks here now, so the guides and the hotel people
have got plenty of time on their hands. They're awful jokers and
they'll tease the life out of you, till you take the trip. You just
get on a mule, this morning, and start. Every day you wait, you'll
hate it more."
Nucky's vanity had been deeply wounded. Greater than his fear, which
was very great indeed, was Nucky's vanity. He gulped the second cup of
coffee, then with the air of bravado which belonged to Marty the Dude,
he sauntered up to the cigar stand where the guide still lounged.
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