and
low calculations. Terror, fury, cupidity, and doggedness never had a
larger battle-field.

"Allow me at least to consult my partners," he said, in a low voice and
almost with a whine; "we may do things irregular sometimes, but we never
betray a client."

"Either betray your client or yourself," the Major answered, with a
downright stamp. "You shall consult no one. You have by this watch
forty-five seconds to consider it."

"You need not trouble yourself to time me," the other answered, sulkily;
"my duty to the firm overrides private feeling. Miss Castlewood, I call
you to witness, since Major Hockin is so peppery--"

"Peppery, Sir, is the very last word that ever could be applied to
me. My wife, my friends, every one that knows me, even my furthest-off
correspondents, agree that I am pure patience."

"It may be so, Major; but you have not shown it. Miss Castlewood, I have
done you no harm. If you had been given up to me, you would have been
safer than where you were. My honor would have been enlisted. I now
learn things which I never dreamed of--or, at least--at least only
lately. I always believed the criminality to be on the other side.
We never ally ourselves with wrong. But lately things have come to my
knowledge which made me doubtful as to facts. I may have been duped--I
believe I have been: I am justified, therefore, in turning the tables."

"If you turn tables," broke in the Major, who was grumbling to himself
at the very idea of having any pepper in his nature--"Goad, if you turn
tables, mind you, you must do it better than the mesmerists. Out of this
room you do not stir; no darkness--no bamboozling! Show your papers,
Sir, without sleight of hand. Surrender, or you get no quarter."

To me it was quite terrifying to see my comrade thus push his victory.
Mr. Goad could have killed him at any moment, and but for me perhaps
would have done so. But even in his fury he kept on casting glances of
superstitious awe at me, while I stood quite still and gazed at him.
Then he crossed the room to a great case of drawers, unlocked something
above the Major's head, made a sullen bow, and handed him a packet.

CHAPTER XLIX

WANTED, A SAWYER

To judge Mr. Goad by his own scale of morality and honor, he certainly
had behaved very well through a trying and unexpected scene. He fought
for his honor a great deal harder than ever it could have deserved of
him; and then he strove well to appease it with cash,