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Show 24G 11 Who was that 1u "Dick Hurd is." WC'l!.\IW IIUIWTS. John Uurdis started back, and with jaws distended, and cheeks, whose pnllid hue denoted tile cowardly heart within him, almost gasped 11is words of astonishment. "ila!-you do not s:ty-but-why ask1 You bad not killed him then ! -and yet, if you l1ad wounded him even, how could he be there 1" "lie was not there," replied the other, in low and trembling accents-" it was his giJOst !" "Pshaw! l believe not in such things," wns the answer of llurdis; but his faltering tones contradicted the confidence of his Jangungc. "It was your imagination, Ben-nothing else." And, speaking thus, he drew nigher to Pickett, and looked cautiously around him. The other, who luul faith, lutd less fear than him who had none. 11 \Vell, I can't say I don't believe in the things that I sec. Call it imagination, or what you will, it gave me a migl1ty scare, 'squire. llut, come, sir; let us go to the man; he is ap· proaching us again-! hear his wllistle." u A moment," said llurdis. Pickett hung back while tl1e other hesitated to speak. It required an unusual effort to onable him to do so. "I say, Ben, I'm ready to do this matter, but if you could contrive any way to take it off my hands, I should like it-" "I don't see, 'squire, how I can," said the other. u If a couple of hundred, or even three, Ben-" "I'd like to serve yon, 'squire, but-" 11 Say five, Ben." "I reckon it's impossible, 'squire. I sec no way i besides, to tell you the truth, I'd rather not. \Vhcn I think that the blood on my hands, already, is got for fighting another man's battles, 'squire, I'm worse satisfied than ever with what p,,e done, and I'm clear for doing no more, hereafter, than is for my own safety." "But this is for our own safety, Ben-we are in the same boat." u Not so, 'squire; our boats nrc different-very different. You are in a fine large ship with mighty sails-! am in a poor DI::SPl.;rtAT.E MEASURES. 247 dng-out. If I lose my dug.out, it's no great matter. But your sllip, 'squire- if you lose tlw.t 1" "I lose more tl1an you do, and yet we both lose all we haYe, Den. You, your life-J, mine! lt matters not much which of _us i~ the most wenlthy, since we both lose everything in losmg life. ~ur loss is eqt~al then, nnd it is your interest, qtrite as much as mmo, to pnt tins fellow out of tho way." "'\Vel!, 'squire, the truth is, I'm tired of scuilling for lifC'. I've been scutlling for it all my lifo. I won't scuffic any more. I'll tnke tho world as I find it. I'll take my chance with this fellow, an_d run tho risk of his blabbing, sooner than squat down bchmd a Lush nud blow ]lis brains out." "And yet you expect me to do it, Ben 1" •· No, l don't expect you. You nsk me how to ]mt this fellow out of your way, and I tell you. I know no other way unless you'll come to tl1e scratch at once, and l1avo it out with l1im now, while tl1e stars arc shining."· "'\rhat! just when you•,,e heard his pistol too, and know that he's well provided in arms! 'l'ha.t would be madness." · "I know no other way, 'squire," was tho indiftCrent reply. "Ah, Den, don't desert mel" was tlJO pitiful appeal of the imbecile villain. "Don't fly from me at the very first sio-n of danger!" o "I don't, 'squire! I'm ready to jump now, this minute, into its throat, though you know, as well as I do, that it's full of teeth 1" "~,hat ~ve mus~ not do! '\Ve should both perish, perhaps_:_ cortamly, If my p1stol should miss fire!" "But it WOt~l~l b~ a warm scuffie for it, 'squire; and that's better tlHm wa1tmg m a cold bush." "~V c must not think of such a plan. It would be folly. TIJC first IS the. best after all-the safest. I must do it, tlJen, myself. _I wdl! \Vhy should I fear 1 All rests on it, and hewhat JS he 1 The deed were a benefit to society, not less than to ourselves." A sud~en fit of courage and morality grew at once prominent together m the spirit of the dastard. Driven to the necessit r he, at length, seemed to embrace it with tho l'esolution of t?' man i and, thus resolved, he went forth to meet the ersol~ whom, the next day, he had decreed for the sacrifice. p |
