Whoever it was, I hope the cuss came in time; if not
If not, were in for it. Blessd if I wouldnt liked it better tove found him hanging; there might have been some chance of hiding him out of the way. But now, if hes been dropped upon dead, were done for. Whoever found him will know all about it. Lena Rook knew we were here, and her sweet lips cant be shut, I suppose. Ift had been only Rook himself, the old scoundrel, there might have been a chance. Money would go a long ways with him; and Im prepared so would we all be to buy his silence.
Lucky you riddy for that, Mister Alfred Brandon. Thats jest what Rook, the old scoundrel, wants, and jess the very thing he means to insist upon hevin. Now name your price.
If a dead body had dropped down from the branch above them it could not have startled the two culprits more than did the living form of Jerry Rook, as it came gliding out of the thick cane close by the stem of the tree.
You, Jerry Rook! exclaim both together, and in a tone that came trembling through their teeth. You here?
Im hyar, gentlemen; an jess in time, seeing as ye wanted me. Now, name yur price; or, shall I fix it for ye? Taint no use fectin innercence o what I mean; ye both know cleer enuf, an so do this chile, all beout it. Yeve hanged young Pierre Robideau, as lived with me at my shanty.
We did not.
Ye
did; hanged him by the neck till he war dead, as the judges say. I kim hyar by chance, an cut him down; but not till twar too late.
Is that true, Rook? Are you speaking the truth? Did you find him dead?
Dead as a buck arter gittin a bullet from Jerry Rooks rifle. If ye dont blieve it, maybe youd step down to my shanty, and see him streeched out.
No, no. But we didnt do it; we didnt intend it, by Heaven!
No swarin, young fellars. I dont care what your intentions war; yeve done the deed. I seed how it war, and all abeout it; ye hung him up for sport pretty sport that war an ye rud off, forgitting all abeout him. Yur sport hev been his death.
My God! we are sorry to hear it. We had no thought of such a thing. A bear came along, and set the hounds up.
Oh, a bar, war it? I thort so. An ye tuk arter the bar, and let the poor young fellar swing?
It is true; we cant deny it. We had no intention of what has happened; we thought only of the bear.
Wal, now, yell have to think o something else. What dye intend doin?
Its a terrible ugly affair. Were very sorry.
No doubt ye air, an yed be a precious sight sorrier of the young fellar had any kinfolk to look arter it, and call ye to account. As it be, there aint nobody but me and he warnt no kin o mine only a stayin wi me, that may make it easier for you.
But, what have you done with the the body?
Brandon asks the question hesitatingly, and thinking of Rooks daughter.
The body? Wal, Ive carried it to the shanty, an put it out o sight. I didnt want the hul country to be on fire till Id fust seed ye. As yet, thar aint nobody the wiser.
And
An what?
Your daughter.
Oh! my darter dont count. She air a bedient gurl, and aint gwine to blabbin while I put the stopper on her tongue. Dont ye be skeeart beout thet.
Jerry Rook! says Brandon, recovering confidence from the old hunters hints, its no use being basket-faced over this business. Weve got into a scrape, and and we know it. You know it, too. We had no intention to commit a crime; it was all a lark; but since its turned out ugly, we must make the best we can of it. Youre the only one who can make it disagreeable for us, and you wont. I know you wont. Were willing to behave handsomely if you act otherwise. You can say this young fellow has gone away down to Orleans, or anywhere else. Ive heard you once say he was not to be with you much longer. That will explain to your neighbours why he is missing. To be plain, then, what is the price of such an explanation?
Durn me, Alf Brandon, ef you oughtnt to be a lawyer, or something o thet sort. You hit it so adzactly. Wal; lets see! I risk someat by keepin your secret a good someat. Ill stand a chance o bein tuk up for aidin an abettin. Wal; lets see! Thar war six o ye. My girl tolt me so, an I kin see it by the tracks o your critters. Whars the other four?
Not far off.
Wal; yed better bring em all up hyar. I spose theyre alls deep in the mud as you in the mire. Besides, it air too important a peint to be settled by depity. Id like all o yur lot to be on the groun an jedge for theerselves.
Agreed; they shall come. Bring them up, Bill.
Bill does as directed, and the six young hunters are once more assembled in the glade; but with very different feelings from those stirring them when there before.
Bill has told them all, even to the proposal made by Rook; and they sit upon their horses downcast, ready to consent to his terms.
Six o ye, says the hunter, apparently calculating the price of the silence to be imposed on him; all o ye sons o rich men, and all able to pay me a hundred dollars a-year for the term o my nateral life. Six hundred dollars. Taint much to talk abeout; jess keep my old carcase from starvin. Huntins gone to the dogs bout hyar, an you fellars hev hed somethin to do in sendin it thar. So on that account o itself ye oughter be only too happy in purvidin for one whose business yeve speiled. It air only by way o a penshun. Hundred dollars apiece, and that reglarly paid pre-annum . Ye all know what tis for. Do ye consent?