Bush deals out justice."

"Smother not your good intentions; and remember, if you contemplate
violence to any among us, that the arm of that law you affect to
despise, reaches far, and that though its movements are sometimes slow,
they are not the less certain!"

"Yes, there is too much truth in his words, squatter," said the trapper,
whose attentive ears rarely suffered a syllable to be utterly unheeded
in his presence. "A busy and a troublesome arm it often proves to be
here, in this land of America; where, as they say, man is left greatly
to the following of his own wishes, compared to other countries;
and happier, ay, and more manly and more honest, too, is he for the
privilege! Why do you know, my men, that there are regions where the law
is so busy as to say, In this fashion shall you live, in that fashion
shall you die, and in such another fashion shall you take leave of the
world, to be sent before the judgment-seat of the Lord! A wicked and a
troublesome meddling is that, with the business of One who has not made
His creatures to be herded, like oxen, and driven from field to field,
as their stupid and selfish keepers may judge of their need and wants.
A miserable land must that be, where they fetter the mind as well as the
body, and where the creatures of God, being born children, are kept
so by the wicked inventions of men who would take upon themselves the
office of the great Governor of all!"

During the delivery of this pertinent opinion, Ishmael was content to be
silent, though the look, with which he regarded the speaker, manifested
any other feeling than that of amity. When the old man was done, he
turned to Middleton, and continued the subject which the other had
interrupted.

"As to ourselves, young Captain, there has been wrong on both sides. If
I have borne hard upon your feelings, in taking away your wife with an
honest intention of giving her back to you, when the plans of that devil
incarnate were answered, so have you broken into my encampment,
aiding and abetting, as they have called many an honester bargain, in
destroying my property."

"But what I did was to liberate--"

"The matter is settled between us," interrupted Ishmael, with the air of
one who, having made up his own opinion on the merits of the question,
cared very little for those of other people; "you and your wife are
free to go and come, when and how you please. Abner, set the Captain at
liberty; and now, if you will tarry