170 WHIP AND SPUR. 



safe enough to hang me if they ketch me, an' 

 I guess I sha' n't hang no higher if I go right on 

 my own gait. If you don't want to employ me 

 you need n't ; theys enough corn an' bacon in th' 

 Obion bottom to keep me awhile yet, and money 

 ain't no 'count down here ; but, by King ! if I kin 

 git a chance to tell you anything that them 'uns 

 don't want you to know, you bet your skin I '11 

 do it, an' you kin trust me every time, for I ain't 

 goin' to lie, — not to your side, not if I know it. 

 Why, you talk to me about inikities. I don't want 

 to do no man any hurt ; but my old dad he was 

 conscripted, an' me an' my brother Jake had to 

 take to the bresh to save ourselves, an' then Jake 

 he was shot in cold blood right afore my eyes, 

 an' I made up my mind then an' there that I 

 would n't give no quarter to the whole State of 

 West Tannisy till this war was over an' ther' was 

 some stronger hand than mine to do jestis an' to 

 furnish revenge. That 's all I 've got to say about 

 it. You need n't give yourself no oneasiness 'bout 

 my doin's, I '11 answer for the hull on 'em ; an' 

 p'r'aps the last thing you '11 hear of Pat Dixon 



