ce."

While he was gazing meditatively on the fair prospect of land and water
that lay before him, one of the bolts of the door was withdrawn, then
another, and the door slowly opened.

For an instant the outlaw gathered himself up for a rush, with a view to
sell his life dearly, and he had even begun to draw one of his hands out
of the manacles, when the folly and hopelessness of the attempt struck
him. He quickly checked himself, and met his jailor (one of the
troopers) with a smiling countenance as he entered and laid a loaf and a
jug of water on the table.

The rattle of a musket outside told Jake that his jailor had not come
alone.

Without a word the man turned, and was leaving the room, when Jake, in a
voice of great humility, asked him to stop.

"You couldn't remove these things, could you?" he said, holding out his
fettered hands.

"No," answered the trooper, sharply.

"Ah!" sighed Jake, "I feared it was agin the rules. You couldn't let me
have the use of a file, could you, for a few minutes? What! agin' rules
too? It's a pity, for I'm used to brush my teeth with a file of a
mornin', an' I like to do it before breakfast."

Jake interlarded his speech with a variety of oaths, with which we will
not defile the paper, but he could extract no further reply from the
trooper than a glance of scorn.

Left to himself, Jake again went to the window, which was a small
cottage one, opening inwards like a door. He opened it and looked out.
The sentinel instantly raised his carbine and ordered him to shut it.

"Hullo! Silas, is that you?" cried Jake in surprise, but paying no
attention to the threat, "I thought you had quit for Heaven durin' the
last skrimidge wi' the Reds down in Kansas? Glad to see you lookin' so
well. How's your wife an' the child'n, Silas?"

"Come now, Jake," said the trooper sternly, "you know it's all up with
you, so you needn't go talkin' bosh like that--more need to say your
prayers. Stand back and shut the window, I say, else I'll put a bullet
through your gizzard."

"Well now, Silas," said Jake, remonstratively, and opening the breast of
his red shirt as he spoke, "I didn't expect that of an old friend like
you--indeed I didn't. But, see here, if you raaly are goin' to fire
take good aim an' keep clear o' the heart and liver. The gizzard lies
hereabout (pointing to his breast) and easy to hit if you've a steady
hand. I know the exact spot, for I've had the cuttin' up of