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TH£ PARTISAN. 209
You come — ^that's all, and say when and where you've
Seen me to-night. Come soon — ^by sunrise, and I'll
get off clear, and stand a better chance of being
trusted by the commander.^
" And Bill Humphries ?" ■
- Ah ! he must have his swing. Let him. The dog
swallows his legs- at last, and so will he. I only wait the time, and shall then shut up his mouth in a way shall be a lesson to him for ever — in a way he shan't forget, and shan't remember. He shall feel me before long."
- ' And he shall feel me too, the reprobate ; he shall
know that 1 have a power, though he laughs at it."
- ' A'drat it, but its dark, mother ; a thick cjoud's yet
over the moon, and but a sloppy path for a shy foot, but it must be done. There's some old hound yelp- ing yonder in the woods ; he don't like being out any more than myself." " You will go, Ned !" and the old woman's hand was on his shoulder. He shoved it off with something of hurry, while he answered —
- ' Yes, yes ; and be sure you come, and when you
have helped me out of the scrape, go, .off-hand, to Proctor. See him — don't let them put you off. He will pay well and not chouse you, for he's a true gen- tleman. Grood-night — good-nighu" She watched him from the doorway until he was completely lost from sight in the adjacent forest. CHAPTER XVn.
- ' Oh cruel ! and the shame of such a wound.
Makes in the heart a deeper gash than iJl It made upon the form." Singleton and Humphries were hailed as they ap- proached the patrols, by the voice of Lance Frampton, the younger son Qf the maniac. He had volunteered S3
