etire, and prepared himself to follow them.

"'Tarnal death to you, captain! you won't leave me?" cried Ralph, in
terror. "Honour bright! Help him that needs help--that's the rule for a
Christian!"

"Villain!" said Roland, sternly, "I have no help to give you. You are
strung up according to the laws of the settlements, with which I have no
desire to interfere. I am the last man you should ask for pity."

"I don't ax your pity, 'tarnal death to me,--I ax your _help_.'" roared
Ralph; "Cut me loose is the word, and then sw'ar at me atter! I stole
your hoss thar:--well, whar's the harm? Didn't he fling me, and kick me,
and bite me into the bargain, the cursed savage? and ar'n't you got him
ag'in as good as ever? And besides, didn't that etarnal old Bruce fob me
off with a beast good for nothing, and talk big to me besides? and warn't
that all fa'r provocation? An didn't you yourself sw'ar ag'in shaking
paws with me, and treat me as if I war no gentleman? 'Tarnal death to me,
cut me loose, or I'll haunt you, when I'm a ghost, I will, 'tarnal death
to me!"

"Cut him down, Roland, for Heaven's sake!" said Edith, whom the
surprise and terror of the spectacle at first rendered speechless: "you
surely,--no, Roland, you surely can't mean to leave him to perish?"

"Upon my soul," said the soldier, and we are sorry to record a speech
representing him in a light so unamiable, "I don't see what right I have
to release him; and I really have not the least inclination to do so. The
rascal is the cause of all our difficulties; and, if evil should happen
us, he will be the cause of that too. But for him, we should be now safe
with our party. And besides, as I said before, he is hanged according to
Kentucky law; a very good law, as far as it regards horse-thieves, for
whom hanging is too light a punishment."

"Nevertheless, release him,--save the poor wretch's life," reiterated
Edith, to whom Stackpole, perceiving in her his only friend, now
addressed the most piteous cries and supplications: "the law is
murderous, its makers and executioners barbarians. Save him, Roland, I
charge you, I entreat you!"

"He owes his life to your intercession," said the soldier; and drawing
his sabre again, but with no apparent good will, he divided the halter by
which Ralph was suspended, and the wretch was free.

"Cut the tug, the buffalo-tug!" shouted the culprit, thrusting his arms
as far from his back as he could, and displaying the thong of bis