I forgive your indignities, for it was natural for you to be provoked, and I provoked you needlessly--childishly, in fact; but after what I have said, anything further in that line will not be borne." "I've a good mind to lick ye now," said Jim, on hearing himself defied.
"You would be a fool to undertake it," said Yates.
"Well, what be ye goin' to tell old Belcher, anyway ?" inquired Jim.
"I doubt whether I shall tell him anything.

I have no intention of telling him that Mr.Benedict is here, and I do not wish to tell him a lie.

I have intended to tell him that in all my journey to Sevenoaks I did not find the object of my search, and that Jim Fenton declared that but one pauper had ever come into the woods and died there." "That's the truth," said Jim.

"Benedict ain't no pauper, nor hain't been since he left the poor-house." "If he knows about old Tilden," said Yates, "and I'm afraid he does, he'll know that I'm on the wrong scent.

If he doesn't know about him, he'll naturally conclude that the dead man was Mr.Benedict.That will answer his purpose." "Old Belcher ain't no fool," said Jim.
"Well," said Yates, "why doesn't Mr.Benedict come out like a man and claim his rights?
That would relieve me, and settle all the difficulties of the case." Benedict had nothing to say for this, for there was what he felt to be a just reproach in it.
"It's the way he's made," replied Jim--"leastways, partly.