The blood boiled in his veins as he surveyed the mercenary and unprincipled hireling, and strove, though in vain, to rise upon his fettered arms, to give energy to his words of denunciation.
"Villain!" he cried, "base, wretched, dastardly caitiff! have you come to boast the fruits of your rascally crime ?" "Right, captain!" replied Doe, with a consenting nod of the head, "you have nicked me on the right p'int: villain's the true word to begin on; and, perhaps, 'twill be the one to end on: but that's as we shall conclude about it, after we have talked the matter over." "Begone, wretch,--trouble me not," said Roland, "I have nothing to say to you, but to curse you." "Well, I reckon that's natteral enough, too, that cussing of me," said Doe, "seeing as how I've in a manner deserved it.

But there's an end to all things, even to cussing; and, may be, you'll jist take a jump the other way, when the gall's over.

A friend to-day, an enemy to-morrow, as the saying is; and you may jist as well say it backwards; for, as things turn up, I'm no sich blasted enemy, jist now, no-way no-how.

I'm for holding a peace talk, as the Injuns say, d--n 'em, burying the axe, and taking a whiff or two at the kinnikinick of friendship.

So cuss away, if it will do you good; and I'll stand it.