But--I say--do you really think she loathes me, Cole ?" "I don't see how she can think much better of you than of the crime in which you've had a hand," was my reply, made, however, with as much kindness as I could summon.

"The word I used was spoken in anger," said I; for his had disappeared; and he looked such a miserable, handsome dog as he stood there hanging his guilty head--in the room, I fancied, where he once had lain as a pretty, innocent child.
"Cole," said he, "I'd give twice my share of the damned stuff never to have put my hand to the plough; but go back I can't; so there's an end of it." "I don't see it," said I."You say you didn't go in for the gold?
Then give up your share; the others'll jump at it; and Eva won't think the worse of you, at any rate." "But what's to become of her if I drop out?
"You and I will take her to her friends, or wherever she wants to go." "No, no!" he cried.

"I never yet deserted my pals, and I'm not going to begin." "I don't believe you ever before had such pals to desert," was my reply to that.

"Quite apart from my own share in the matter, it makes me positively sick to see a fellow like you mixed up with such a crew in such a game.

Get out of it, man, get out of it while you can! Now's your time.