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Show RlCHARD llUH.DlS. 216 view between John Ilurdis and Jane the idiot girl. Not knowing what to fear, yet fearing everything, the mmdcrc~ follo;~ed the Rlrangcr, wh01n ]1c now regarded ns llls cnl gcnms: I he other wns passing more deeply into the w_oods, after havmg CJ~tercd them, thnn Pickett seemed to tlunk necessary for lus object, nnd the voice of the lattc_r :trrc~tcd Lim. . "Dark enough for your busillcss, 1t may be, but qu1tc too tlark for mine. I'll go no fa rtl\Cr. You can say here a11 you've got to say, no matter what it is. l'm not afraid, and I think it somcthiug strange that you should want me to go into the bush in a dark night with a person I don't know. I don't somehow like it altogether. l 'm not sure that it's safe. I mean 110 harm, but it's not the best sense in the world to trust peo1)le one don't kn"oTw,...o" rd love you," said the oth er, with a quiet tone of con· tempt." you' re more sc:lt'Y than 1 thought you. There's tloth· ing: to be f1·ightencd at in me; my busit~CSS is JlC3C('nl.Jlc, an<l l'm a peaceable n1a11. I don't cany a nflc, 3tHI _l neYcr t;~mbled a fellow from his horse at a hundred yards, 111 all my life, so f:n· as I C:ln recollect now." •rhcsc words were uttered with the utmost coolness, ancl ns it' they were entirely without peculia~· signi~cation: 'J'hc effect upon the hearer was almost pnralyjl.tng. as tt was mstantnncons. He stnrted, 3S if he had been !Liwsclf shot- for a moment was silent, under the obvious imputat io11 contained in the lost sen· tence of his companion'B speech -tl•cn recovering himself, with the blusterin,.,. manner of the bully, he addressed the otl•er, who saw, in the d~n light which surrounded thmn, that Pickett's hnn<l was thrust into the bosom of his vest, as if in search of some con· cealed wc....1.pon. . · 1 " H ow! you do not mean to St\y, that I ever dal such a tlung If you l\o-" . u Put up your knife, brother, and keep your lJallll ancl vo~ca down. Lift either too high, :mel I have that about me wluch wou\cl drive you into the middle of next summer, ,f you only looked at me to strike." 1 d Such was the stern reply of the stranger, whose tones c 1 _ 311ge . p· k ~ It I . nself ill the promptly with the Circumstances. IC ·ett e 111 . b Jd presence of a master. He was cowed. lie releasee\ Ius 0 THE ~IYSTIC IJRO'l'IIERilOOD. 217 upon the weapon, which l1e hall gras11Cd in his bosom, and lowering the soumh of his voice in obedience to the stranger's requisition, he rcpliccl in l\lore conciliatory lnngungc. " 'VIwt mean you, my friend 1 'Vl1at is tho business that brings you l1C'rc? ' Vhnt would you ll:'tvc with me, nnd why do you threaten me?" 04 Your l1alld !" snid tl1e other deliberately, while extending his own. "There it iB; and now, what 1" Pickett reluctantly com- J>lied. "Only that you arc one of us now - that's all." "One of us-how ! who arc you ?-what mean you 1" u Everything. You arc a made man- your fortunes are m:ulc. You've Lccomc one of a family that can do everything for you, aml will do it, if you'll lot them." '.!'he silence of l:'ickctt expressed more wonder than his words coult.l have douc. 'I'he other went on without heeding a feeble attempt which he made at reply. "You've \·o\untccrcd to do some of om business, and have, therefore, joiucll our fmtcrnity." "Your business! what business-what fratcmity 1 I don't know, my fricml, what you possibly can mean." "l'\1 tell you then, and put you out of suspense. You're just from Tuscnloosa, wlLcre you've taken some trouble off our hands. I've come to tlwnk you for it, and to do you some kindness in retmn. One good turn deserves another you know, and this that you have done for us, ilcscrvcs a dojl.on." TILC wonder of r ickctt was increased. Tie almost gasped in uttering anotl•er request to hear all that the other had to say. "'Vhy, it's soon said," he replied. " You shot a lad two days ago, ncar the 'shade,' up beyond 'l'uscaloosa-" " 'Vho says-who saw-it is n. lie-ad-d lie!" cried the criminal, in husky and feeble nccents, while quivering at the same time with mingled rage and fear. "Oh, psha.w !"said the other," what's the usc of beating about the bush. I saw you tumble the lad myself, and I've followed upon your trail ever since-" 1 "Dut you shall follow me no more ! One of us must give 10 |
