"It's a story by Dickens. He describes a brutal villain, named Bill Sykes, who murders his wife."
"This chap looks as if he wouldn't mind doing it. His wife's afraid of him, though half an hour ago I would have said she wasn't afraid of anything."
"That's so. They seem pretty well matched."
Presently the master of the cabin came out. It was not easy for his harsh features to look amiable, but his manner was no longer offensive. He even seemed inclined to be social.
"Traveled fur to-day?" he inquired.
"About thirty miles, as near as I can guess," said Bradley.
"Is that your boy?"
"No, he's no kin to me. We're travelin' together-that's all."
"Goin' to the mines?"
"We are goin' to Murphy's."