ways about it. Well, then, what's to become of the poor gal, that ha'n't
no friend in the big world to care for her? Now, you see, I'm thinking of
the gal, and I'm making the bargain for her; and I made it in my own mind
jist the minute I seed you were a captive among us, and laid my hand on
this here will. Said I to myself, 'I'll save the youngster, and I'll
marry my gal to him, and there's jist two good things I'll do for the
pair of 'em!' And so, captain, there's exactly the end of it. If you'll
take the gal, you shall have her, and you'll make three different
critturs greatly beholden to you:--first, the gal, who's a good gal, and
a comely gal, and will love and honor you jist as hard as the best madam
in the land; next, myself, that am her father, and longs to give her to
an honest feller, that won't misuse her, and, last, your own partickelar
self;--for the taking of her is exactly the only way you have of gitting
hack the old major's lands, and what I hold to be jist as agreeable,
dragging clear of a hot Injun fire that will roast you to cinders if you
remain in this d--d village two days longer!"

"My friend," cried Roland, driven to desperation, for he perceived
Atkinson was making his extraordinary proposal in perfectly good faith
and simplicity, as a regular matter of matter of business, "you know not
what you ask. Free me and my kinswoman--"

"As for young madam there," interrupted the renegade, "don't be at all
oneasy. She's in good hands, I tell you; and Braxley'll fetch her
straight off to Virginny as soon as he has brought her to reason."

"And your terms," said Roland, smothering his fury as he could, "imply an
understanding that my cousin is to be surrendered to him?"

"Ondoubtedly," replied Doe; "there's no two ways about it. I work on my
own hook, in the matter of the fortun'--'cause how, Dick's not to be
trusted where the play's all in his own hands; but as for cheating him
out of the gal, there's no manner of good can come of it, and it's clear
agin my own interest. No, captain, here's the case; you takes my gal
Telie, and Braxley takes the t'other; and so it's all settled fair
between you."

"Hark you, rascal!" cried Roland, giving way to his feelings; "if you
would deserve a reward, you must win it, not by saving _me_, but my
cousin. My own life I would buy at the price of half the lands which that
will makes me master of--for the rescue of Edith from the vile Braxley I
would give _all_. Sav