The tired animals, who could scarce put the one foot before the other, paid no attention to his cruelty; and I continued without effort to maintain my position alongside, smiling to myself at the futility of his attempts, and at the same time pricked with curiosity as to why he made them.

I made no such formidable a figure as that a man should flee when I accosted him; and my conscience not being entirely clear, I was more accustomed to be uneasy myself than to see others timid.

Presently he desisted, and put back his whip in the holster with the air of a man vanquished.
'So you would run away from me ?' said I.

'Come, come, that's not English.' 'Beg pardon, master: no offence meant,' he said, touching his hat.
'And none taken!' cried I.

'All I desire is a little gaiety by the way.' I understood him to say he didn't 'take with gaiety.' 'Then I will try you with something else,' said I.