I'd
love them to be coming, the Angel especial, but it can't be. You'll have
to tell them so. You see, Jack would have been ready to stake his life
she meant what she said and did to him. When the teams pulled out,
Wessner seized me; then he and Jack went to quarreling over whether they
should finish me then or take me to the next tree they were for felling.
Between them they were pulling me around and hurting me bad. Wessner
wanted to get at me right then, and Jack said he shouldn't be touching
me till the last tree was out and all the rest of them gone. I'm
belaying Jack really hated to see me done for in the beginning; and
I think, too, he was afraid if Wessner finished me then he'd lose his
nerve and cut, and they couldn't be managing the felling without him;
anyway, they were hauling me round like I was already past all feeling,
and they tied me up again. To keep me courage up, I twits Wessner about
having to tie me and needing another man to help handle me. I told him
what I'd do to him if I was free, and he grabs up me own club and lays
open me head with it. When the blood came streaming, it set Jack raving,
and he cursed and damned Wessner for a coward and a softy. Then Wessner
turned on Jack and gives it to him for letting the Angel make a fool of
him. Tells him she was just playing with him, and beyond all manner of
doubt she'd gone after you, and there was nothing to do on account of
his foolishness but finish me, get out, and let the rest of the timber
go, for likely you was on the way right then. That drove Jack plum
crazy.

"I don't think he was for having a doubt of the Angel before, but then
he just raved. He grabbed out his gun and turned on Wessner. Spang! It
went out of his fist, and the order comes: 'Hands up!' Wessner reached
for kingdom come like he was expecting to grab hold and pull himself
up. Jack puts up what he has left. Then he leans over to me and tells me
what he'll do to me if he ever gets out of there alive. Then, just like
a snake hissing, he spits out what he'll do to her for playing him. He
did get away, and with his strength, that wound in his hand won't be
bothering him long. He'll do to me just what he said, and when he hears
it really was she that went after you, why, he'll keep his oath about
her.

"He's lived in the swamp all his life, sir, and everybody says it's
always been the home of cutthroats, outlaws, and runaways. He knows its
most secret places as none of the others.