"
"Now, what's ther use o' talkin' that away, Tom? Dick's dead by ther
hand o' ther boss. What's thar in it fer you or me if ther cub in thar
dies er not? Be sensible."
"It ain't matterin' a chaw o' terbaccer ter me whether he dies er not,
but he's got a right ter die in a natural way, so to speak."
"An' how is that, my Sunday-school friend?"
"In a fair fight, by gosh!"
"An' who's goin' ter give him a fair fight? I don't want none o' it."
"So that's ther way yer built, is it, Bill? I always thought yer was a
game man."
"I reckon I be, but that's not in this question. Here's an enemy ter
ther gang what lays bound in the cabin. Why should I resk my life in a
fight with him er fer him. It's so derned easy fer a feller ter go in
thar an' stick a knife inter him, an' then, yer see, it's all over
with."
"Yer wrong, Bill."
"I'd sooner do that than have ther boss come back an' stick his knife
inter me."
"Aire yer afraid ter fight ther boss?"
"He's ther only man I be afraid of."
There was a long silence following this, and Ted understood the terrible
power of Checkers over his men, and Desmond's warning.
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