104 CHEATING. 



conceited, and therefore, in his attributes, an amalgama 

 tion of imperfections. I watched this little wretch with 

 a species of horrible fascination, and perceived that he 

 had an idea that he was fatal to the peace of mind of 

 woman. Whenever a petticoat appeared at the door of 

 a hut, or in the fields or woods, this mistaken apology 

 for a man waved a hand to them, observed in his action 

 by his younger and taller fellow-thief with a species of 

 veneration that made me long to thrash them both ; and 

 after making this, as he supposed, graceful acknowledg 

 ment that he saw and appreciated the female presence, 

 he invariably took out a little dirty comb, and with it 

 pulled his bushy beard to more uniformity. 



While I had my eye on the actions of these most dis 

 reputable public functionaries it commenced to grow 

 dark, and when we were approaching the place at which 

 we were to swallow a hasty supper for, as is usual witli 

 all American trains, we were behind time the tallest 

 thief of the two, lantern in hand, it then being too dark 

 to see distinctly without it, came to me and said, 

 " Guess we'd better settle now for them dogs o' yourn.' 

 "Well," I said, "how much?" "Eight dollars," was 

 the reply. " Stuff ! " I cried (I had not had an oppor 

 tunity of making a previous bargain), " I will give no 

 such extortionate price ; you may have six dollars, which 

 is really three times as much as you ought to have ; so 

 here is the money, and give me change." " Well," he 

 said, "s'pose 't'll do;" and he held out his hand, into 

 which I intended to put two five-dollar gold pieces, and 

 to receive the change. He would in that case have to 

 return me four dollars. In selecting the money from my 

 purse, however, instead of taking only two five-dollar 



