Conduct of life -- Fiction; Criminals -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction
By the united efforts of both, the outlaw, like a trussed fowl, was
deposited bodily in the rear of the carriage, where he lay in a most
uncomfortable position, jolted and shaken whenever the road was rough
or uneven. It was a humiliating position, and he felt it.
"You'll repent this outrage," he said fiercely.
"Doesn't thee like it?" asked Luke, relapsing into his Quaker dialect.
"Curse you and your Quaker lingo!" retorted Fox, his black eyes
sparkling vindictively.
"It wouldn't do thee any harm to turn Quaker thyself," suggested Luke.
"I'll be bruised to death before the ride is over," growled the
outlaw.
"There is one way of saving you the discomfort of the ride."
"What is that?"
"I might shoot you through the head. As the reward is the same whether
I deliver you alive or dead, I have almost determined to do it."
The outlaw was made still more uncomfortable by these words. He had
wholly misunderstood Luke at first, and the revelation of his real
character had impressed him not only with respect, but with fear. He
did not know of what this pseudo Quaker might be capable. He longed in
some way to get out of his power. Force was impracticable, and he
resolved to resort to finesse.
"Look here, my friend," he began.
"So you regard me as a friend? Thank you, brother Fox; I won't forget
it."
"Oh, bother your nonsense! I suppose you are after the thousand
dollars offered for my apprehension."
"You have guessed right the first time. I am not a rich man, and I
don't mind telling you that a thousand dollars will be particularly
acceptable just about now."
"So I supposed. You don't feel particularly unfriendly to me?"
"Oh, no. I might under different circumstances come to love you like a
brother."
"Or join my band?"
"Well, no; I draw the line there. As a Quaker I could not consistently
join a band of robbers."
"Who are you?" asked Fox abruptly. "You weren't raised around here."
"No."
"Where, then?"
"I come from Iowa."
"What is your name?"
"My friend, I haven't any visiting cards with me. You can think of me
as the Quaker detective."
"Then I will come to business. You want a thousand dollars?"
"You are correct there."
"Then I will show you a way to get it."
"I know one way already."
"You mean by delivering me up?"
"Yes."
"That would not suit me. Let me go, and I will give you a thousand
dollars."
"Have you got it with you?"
"No, but I can arrange to give it to you within a week. You see,"
added the outlaw dryly, "I have been prosperous in my business, and
can snare that sum in return for the favor you are going to do me in
giving me my liberty."
"I am afraid, friend Fox, that my chance of securing the money in that
way would be very slender."
"I am a man of my word. What I promise, that I will do."
"If you have so much money, why did you want to take the five hundred
dollars of my friend here?"
"It was all in the way of business. Well, what do you say?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account