Now you acknowledge that what has occurred is personally nothing to you; Beaucaire was no special friend, and you don't even know the two girls--all right then, drop the whole matter.

I hold no grudge on account of your striking me, and am even willing to share up with you to avoid trouble." "And if I refuse ?" "Then, of course, we shall be compelled to shut your mouth for you.
Self preservation is the first law." "Which simply means that you intend to go on, and yield nothing ?" "That is about right.

We'll hold tight to what we've got--hey, Carver ?" "That's allers bin my way o' doin' business," chimed in the other brutally.

"An' we've sure got you, mister soldier man, where we kin handle yer, I reckon." I looked about at them both, scarcely able to distinguish clearly even their outlines in the dense gloom.

The seriousness of my situation, coupled with my helplessness, and inability to achieve the object proposed, was very evident.