“It was these same Mohaves, and there ain’t a more villainous set of dogs this side of the Mississippi. You may make up your mind, as I have, that you’ll never see that sun go down again.”
This was uttered coolly, but with such an air of conviction as to its truth, as to send a chill to the hearts of the hearers.
“Bress de Lord! you don’t mean dat?” asked Jim, fairly quaking with terror. The stranger turned toward him, and said:
“There’s no chance for _you_, for I never seen an Indian that didn’t hate a nigger, and I’m with ’em there myself. If I could say the word, I wouldn’t get _you_ out of this scrape, for you’ve no business in these parts.”
“Bress your heart! nobody has axed you to say a word; I’d rather hab de ill will ob such a miserable lookin’ darkey as you dan your lub, an’ if you doesn’t like it, all I’ve got to say is, dat I’m at your sarvice, an’ you can help yourself.”
The stranger glared at Jim like a wild beast, but as his own hands were tied, and those of the African’s were not, he was unable to help himself.
“O, you needn’t look so lubbin’ at me!” said Jim, “I ain’t afeerd ob you; I’ll try an’ coax ’em to ontie your hands, an’ den we’ll hug each other, if you want to.”
The stranger’s feelings were inexpressible, and in his supreme contempt, he turned his back upon the negro, and addressed himself directly to Edwin.
“My name is Gaylor, and I’ve been out in these parts about a year, with a lot of others. We’ve had to dodge and fight the Indians all the time, and they know me well enough I reckon, and there ain’t any great amount of love atween us. I’ve played some purty smart tricks upon ’em, but they got ahead of me at last. I was so tired last night that I lay down to sleep, and when I woke up, a couple of ’em had me fast, sure, and--well, you see I’m here with you.”
Inwood gave the particulars of their own misfortune, and then inquired:
Gaylor hesitated a moment, showed some confusion, but quickly rallying himself, replied:
“The same as yourself, I suppose; we have been looking for gold.”
“You must have found something, or you would not have remained so long.”
“Well, yes, we have had tolerable luck--putty good I may say toward the last--but what good is it going to do me?”