“I heard him say he would sell—Oh, mercy! they are coming—if I am seen—”
The murmuring words were drowned by the louder voices of the men—who were now heard returning round the angle of the wall. Fortunately, before they had reached the front of the cabin, the young girl had glided back into the doorway; and no suspicion appeared to be entertained by either, of the clandestine visit just paid me.
On rounding the corner, the stranger stopped. The squatter continued to advance, until within a few paces of where I stood. Then halting, he erected his gigantic form to its full height; and, for a moment, confronted me without speaking. I noticed that his countenance no longer bore signs of angry passion; but, on the contrary, betrayed some traces of a softer feeling—as of regret and contrition.
“Strenger!” said he at length, “I’ve two things to propose to ye; an’ ef you’ll agree to them, thur’s no need why you an’ I shed quarrel—leest of all plug one another wi’ bullets, as we wur agwine to do a minnit ago.”
“Name your conditions!” rejoined I, “and if they are not impossible for me to accept, I promise you they shall be agreed to.”
With Lilian in my thoughts, they would be hard indeed if I could not square with whatever terms he might propose.
“They ain’t unpossible—neyther o’ ’em; thur only just an’ fair.”
“Let me hear them; and believe me, Hickman Holt, I shall judge them most liberally.”
“Fust, then, you called me a coward. Do you take that back?”
“Willingly I do.”