They say thar's mor'n one way ter skin a cat, an' Joe never cut his eye teeth yisterday, let me tell yer.

Thet gurl's not only white--she's got money, scads ov it, and is a good looker.

I saw her, an' she's some beaut; Joe ain't passin' up nuthin' like that.

I reckon she won't find no chance ter raise a holler fore he's got her tied good an' strong." I stared blankly at the fellow, a thousand questions in my mind, and a dim perception of what he meant permeating my brain.
"Do you mean," I asked, horrified, "that he will compel her to marry him ?" "Sum smart little guesser, ain't yer?
I reckon she's in a right smart way ter do it, et thet." "And wus this the cause of the quarrel between Kirby and Kennedy ?" "Wal', I reckon it wus; leastwise Tim wudn't be mixed up in the affair none.

They hed it prutty blame hot, an' I reckon thar'd bin a dead deputy if hedn't bin fer me.