k's long-repressed anger could no longer be restrained:
he started on his feet, and striking his fist on the table so as to
terrify his wife, swore that the pedlar should pay dear for his
peaching. Upon his wife's demanding an explanation, Rushbrook, in a few
hurried sentences, explained the whole. Jane, however she might agree
with him in his indignation, like all women, shuddered at the thought of
shedding blood. She persuaded her husband to go to bed. He consented;
but he slept not: he had but one feeling, which was vengeance towards
the traitor. When revenge enters into the breast of a man who has lived
peaceably at home, fiercely as he may be impelled by the passion, he
stops short at the idea of shedding blood. But when a man who had, like
Rushbrook, served so long in the army, witnessed such scenes of carnage,
and so often passed his bayonet through his adversary's body, is roused
up by this fatal passion, the death of a fellow-creature becomes a
matter of indifference, provided he can gratify his feelings. Thus it
was with Rushbrook, who, before he rose on the morning of that Sabbath
in which, had he gone to church, he could have so often requested his
trespasses might be forgiven, as he "forgave them who trespassed against
him," had made up his mind that nothing short of the pedlar's death
would satisfy him. At breakfast he appeared to listen to his wife's
entreaties, and promised to do the pedlar no harm; and told her that,
instead of going out on the Monday night, as he had promised, he should
go out on that very night, and by that means evade the snare laid for
him. Jane persuaded him not to go out at all; but this Rushbrook would
not consent to. He told her that he was determined to show them that he
was not to be driven off his beat, and would make Byres believe on
Tuesday night that he had been out on the Monday night. Rushbrook's
object was to have a meeting with Byres, if possible, alone, to tax him
with his treachery, and then to take summary vengeance.

Aware that Byres slept at the ale-house, he went down there a little
before dark, and told him that he intended going out on that night; that
it would be better if, instead of coming on Tuesday, he were to meet him
at the corner of one of the covers, which he described, at an hour
agreed upon, when he would make over to him the game which he might have
procured. Byres, who saw in this an excellent method of trapping
Rushbrook, consented to i