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Show 152 RlCIIARD HURDrS. "Shall we do that, men 1" was the calm inf1niry of' tl1o debtor. "It's best!" was the bloody answC'r of the gambler, Gcor1;c. Cowards of bad morals arc usually the most sanguinary people, when passion prompts and opportunity occurs. "I'm cl<'nr," continued the same fellow, "for making hn::;h of these cbnpR. rfhcre is 0110 of them-tho slenderer fc\Jow witJ1 the long llO~C, [meaning mc]-llis d--d insolence to me in Tuscaloo::::l. is enough to convict him. rrhc sooner we fix him the better." "George seems unwilling to give that chap a chuncC'. T rather think it wonl(l be better to Jet l1im go in order that the two might fight out thci1· quarreL Eh, George! ·whnt say you 1" Tho host proposed a cuttiug question, Lut in his ow11 cool and measured manner. It did not seem to f~dl harmlessly upon the person to whom it was addressed. llis features grew darkly red with the feroc ity of his soul, but his reply was framed with a just knowledge of the fearless nature of the mnn who had provoked him. "You know,Mut,I can fight well enough when it pleases me to do so." "True," wns the answer; "nobody denies that. I only meant to say thnt you don't often find plcnsmc in it; nor, iudccd, George, do I: am1 tbat's one reason which 1 lw.Yc for disagreei ng with yon about tlu}se str:mgcr-cltn.ps."' " \Vltat !" snid one of the companions," yon wou't lift?" " 'Yho says I won't1 'l'o be sure I will. \Vc'lllift wl1nt we c~n, a~Hl empty tltc. snck; but I'm not for slitting any more p1pes If J Call JtrJp It-not in this neigJ1bOrhood at }CflSt." "Mat's going to join the methodists. He'll cat devil's broth, but dip no ment," said George. "No - if it's necrlfnl, I'll cat both ; but one I dou't like so much as the other, nnd, when I can get the one without the other, I'll always prefer to do so." "But they'll blab." :·So they may; but what ca:re we about that, when we're gomg where . th~y can't find us 1 Let us keep them quiet till to-morrow nmln1ght, and then they may use their pipes quito as much as they please. By that time we shall all be safe in the 'nation,' and the sheriff may wh istle for us." Till!: OUTL.\ WS. 153 "\Yell, as to that part of tltc plan," said George, "I'm opposed to it now, and have always been against it. I sec no reason lo leave a country where we've done, and where we're still doing, so excellent a business." "\\rhat business 1- no striking for a week or more!" said one of the party. "llut wllllt's the chnnce to-rnonow 1 •rhesc very chnps show us the goodness of the business we may do by holding on a time lougcr. Here's hundreds going for the' nation' and thcreaLonts every week, and most of them have the real stuf1'. 'l'hey sell out in the old states, raise all the cash they cn11, :mel give us plenty of picking if we'll look out a1l(l wnit for it. But we mustn't be so milk-hearted. There's uo getting on in safety if we only crop the beasfs tail and let it run. We can stny here six months longer, if we stop the mouth of the sack when we empty it." "Ah, George, you arc quite too brave in council, and too full of counsel in the field," was tlte ahnost indilferent reply of the debtor i "to stay here six weeks, would be to hang us all. The people arc getting too thick and too sober between this and 'Bigby. They'll cut us ofl' from running after a while. Now, you are too bra.ve to run; you'd rather fight and die any day than that. Not so with me : I'm for lifting and striking anywhere, so long as the back door's open i but the moment you shut up that, l'm for other loOgings. But enough of this. ' Ve've made the law for going already, and it's a mere waste of breath to talk over that matter now. There's other business before us, and, if you'll let me, we'll talk about that." "Crack away!" was the answer. "These lads come here to-morrow-they dine with me. The old trick is the cnsiest : we'll rope them to the ir chairs, and then search their pockets. 'l'ltey carry their bills in tl1cir bosoms, I reckon; and if they've got specie, it's in the saddlel. mgs. ' Ve can rope them, rob them, and leave them at table. All the expense is a good dinner, and we'll leave them that too, as it will be some hours, I reckon, before anybody will como nloug to ~elp tl1em out of their hobble, and they'll be hungry w~lCn th~1r first trouble's fai rly over. By that time, we'll be m1ghty n1gh Columbus; and if the lads have the money you 7• |
