Page:Contending Forces by Pauline Hopkins.djvu/64

Bill laughed at his companion’s excitement. "Easy thar, easy, Hank. This ar' a mighty titlish job, but we kin wurk it—we kin wurk it. Fust place, yer see Montfort's brought them slaves o' hisn hyar and don’t tend to keep 'em only bout ten years, and then every one o' them will have bought hisself, accordin' to the laws thet ar' governin' them over to the West Indies. Now, yer know ther's a bad eggsample to set befo' the niggers roun' this town. Eny way, we's goin' to think so," drawled Bill, with an expressive wink at his friend. "It's a law of the United States that ef eny man is caught creatin' dissatisfacshun among the slaves he desarves death, and death he gits. Now, this ar Montfort has been causin' trouble fer us by his eggsample. Every nigger roun' hyar knows all bout his 'rangements fer givin' his slaves thar freedom, and I tell yer, Hank, its causin' dissatisfacshun 'mong all our slaves. An' then the money, honey, the money! sech sights of it all done up in little shammy-skin bags, an' thet boy Jesse settin' on the floor amoosin' hisself buildin' houses with them gold eagles!"

Hank listened to his companion's words with open mouth. As the latter finished he said, with a look of admiration: "Wall, I'll be d——d! Now, look a-hyar, Bill Sampson, yer needn't tell me thet all thet yer have just unfolded to me is