This instrument requires you, at once, to remove from these lands--entirely to forego their use and possession, and within forty-eight hours to yield them up to the authority which now claims them at your hands." Here the officer proceeded to read all those portions of his commission to which he referred, with considerable show of patience.
"All that's very well in your hands, and from your mouth, good sir; but how know we that the document you bear is not forged and false--and that you, with your people there, have not got up this fetch to trick us out of those possessions which you have not the heart to fight for?
We're up to trap, you see." With this insolent speech, Dexter contrived to show his impatience of the parley, and that brutal thirst which invariably prompted him to provoke and seek for extremities.

The eye of the Georgian flashed out indignant fires, and his fingers instinctively grasped the pistol at his holster, while the strongly-aroused expression of his features indicated the wrath within.

With a strong and successful effort, however, though inwardly chafed at the necessity of forbearance, he contrived, for a while longer, to suppress any more decided evidence of emotion, while he replied:-- "Your language, sirrah, whatever you may be, is ruffianly and insolent; yet, as I represent the country and not myself in this business, and as I would perform my duties without harshness, I pass it by.

I am not bound to satisfy you, or any of your company, of the truth of the commission under which I act.

It is quite enough if I myself am satisfied.