"Leave me alone. What you doin'?"
"Why, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you since Christmas night."
"'Twasn't me. I never done it. Leave me be. Huckleberries! I'll smash ye!"
"Why, Fayette, I'm astonished. Be quiet, listen. I know you—I know all about you. You have got to behave. You must stay here and do exactly what Cleena and I tell you to do. You'll be treated well. I'll show you how you can make a lot of that money you like so much; upon condition, though—upon the one condition that you simply behave correctly. You are wise enough to understand me. If you disobey or prove tricky—well, I have but to hand you over to the law and you're settled. Do you understand?"
"You mean, if I don't mind, they'll jail me?"
"That's it, exactly. You're cleverer than I hoped."
"All right; I'll do it. Say, I believe Balaam's sick."
"Balaam? Have you got him, too? Are you a horse thief as well as highwayman? Well, poor fellow, it's lucky your lot is cast in this peaceful valley instead of on the frontier. Where is he?"
"I rode him to a place I know. There was plenty o' fodder once, but it's been took. He hain't had much to eat, an' maybe that's it. I was bound old Wingate shouldn't get him."