"It merely happens that I possess more life than you can ever reach the end of.

Make it a hundred days if you want, and I'll smile at you when it's over." "I guess ten days will more than do you, Standing." "That's your opinion," I said.

"Have you got faith in it?
If you have you won't even lose the price of the two five-cents sacks of tobacco.
Anyway, what have you got to be afraid of ?" "For two cents I'd kick the face off of you right now," he snarled.
"Don't let me stop you." I was impudently suave.

"Kick as hard as you please, and I'll still have enough face left with which to smile.

In the meantime, while you are hesitating, suppose you accept my original proposition." A man must be terribly weak and profoundly desperate to be able, under such circumstances, to beard the Warden in solitary.