be likely to
bestow upon the Yankee?"

"Well thar's no telling; but I reckon he runs a smart chance of grazing
agin the whole on 'em. They've got a long account agin him. In one way
or t'other, he's swindled everybody with his notions. Some bought his
clocks, which only went while the rogue stayed, and when he went they
stopt forever. Some bought ready-made clothes, which went to pieces at
the very sight of soap and water. He sold a fusee to old Jerry Seaborn,
and warranted the piece, and it bursted into flinders, the very first
fire, and tore little Jerry's hand and arm--son of old Jerry--almost to
pieces. He'll never have the right use of it agin. And that ain't all.
Thar's no counting up his offences."

"Bad as the fellow is, do you think it possible that they will torture
him as you describe, or hang him, without law, and a fair trial?"

"Why, Lord love you, ha'n't I told you that he'll have a fair trial,
afore the regilators, and thar'll be any number of witnesses, and
judges, and sheriffs, and executioners. But, ef you know'd Bunce, you'd
know that a fair trial is the very last marcy that he'd aix of
Providence. Don't you think now that he'll git anything worse than his
righteous desarvings. He's a fellow that's got no more of a saving soul
in him than my whip-handle, and ain't half so much to be counted on in a
fight. He's jest now nothing but a cheat and a swindle from head to
foot; hain't got anything but cheat in him--hain't got room for any
principle---not enough either to git drunk with a friend, or have it
out, in a fair fight, with his enemy. I shouldn't myself wish to see the
fellow's throat cut, but I ain't slow to say that I shall go for his
tasting a few hickories, after that a dip in the horsepond, and then a
permit to leave the country by the shortest cut, and without looking
behind him, under penalty of having the saft places on his back covered
with the petticoats of Lot's wife, that we hear of in the Scriptures."

Ralph Colleton was somewhat oppressed with apathy, and he knew how idle
would be any attempt to lessen the hostility of the sturdy woodman, in
respect to the wretched class of traders, such as were described in
Jared Bunce, by whom the simple and dependent borderers in the South and
West, were shockingly imposed upon. He made but a feeble effort
accordingly, in this direction, but was somewhat more earnest in
insisting upon the general propriety of forbearance, in a practice which
m