He interrupted her. “There! I knowed ye was a coward; but I’m not. Let ’em come. I’m ready for ’em.”
She drew away from him in discouragement and disgust. Where was the use of trying to save so besotted a fool—one who seemed bent on his own destruction? If he perished that night by the hand of violence, it would not be her fault. She had done all she could; for any further effort, any plainer speech would expose herself to suspicion and violence from him.
She went back to her former station on the other side of the raft, and resuming the old posture, with her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands, tried to steel herself to the coming fate of the man who was so persistently abusive to her.
But in vain; it was too horrible; and she could not forget that she had consented to it. Yet what more could she do? Ah! could she herself rob him before the burglars came, and steal away with the money to Phelim, he surely would consent to run away with her and it, and leave the old dotard his life. Surely it would be much the better plan for all; but how to accomplish it? for Himes had his money in a belt which he wore day and night about his waist.
He had finished his pipe, and she heard him retire to the cabin. When she thought sufficient time had elapsed for him to be sound asleep she crept softly in and stretched herself by his side—for the last time! Oh, what an awaking his would be! She could not sleep; her heart beat almost to suffocation, and she trembled like an aspen leaf.
At length, when his perfect stillness and regular breathing seemed to speak of profound slumber, she cautiously put out her hand and touched the belt.
He started up instantly, asking, with an oath, “What’s that fer? what are ye after? would ye dare to rob me?”
“No; why should I? ain’t I your wife?” she asked, bitterly. “But I want you to take it off and hide it somewhere. You’d better lose yer money than it and yer life too. If they come they’ll have it at all costs; and if it’s on you, they’ll kill you to get it.”
“’Twon’t be no great loss to you if they do; you’d like to be a gay young widder—you needn’t deny it,” he said, with a sneer. “I’ll resk it, anyhow; and don’t you touch my belt agin.”
It was her last effort to save him. Oh, how long the hours seemed while she waited! yet how gladly she would have detained them in their flight, that thus the coming of the dreaded event might be retarded.