And the spirits had warmed him into temporary recklessness.
"You ain't goin' to be backed down by a short-card gambler, are yer ?" said Steptoe, with coarse familiarity.
"I have a lady with me, and am pressed for time," said Van Loo quickly.
"He knows it, otherwise he would not have dared"-- "Well, look here," said Steptoe roughly.

"I ain't particularly sweet on you, as you know; but I and these gentlemen," he added, glancing around the room, "ain't particularly sweet on Mr.Jack Hamlin neither, and we kalkilate to stand by you if you say so.

Now, I reckon you want to get away with the woman, and the quicker the better, as you're afraid there'll be somebody after you afore long.

That's the way it pans out, don't it?
Well, when you're ready to go, and you just tip us the wink, we'll get in a circle round Jack and cover him, and if he starts after you we'll send him on a little longer journey!--eh, boys ?" The men muttered their approval, and one or two drew their revolvers from their belts.

Van Loo's heart, which had leaped at first at this proposal of help, sank at this failure of his little plan of abandoning Mrs.Barker.He hesitated, and then stammered, "Thank you! Haste is everything with us now; but I shouldn't mind leaving the lady among CHIVALROUS GENTLEMEN like yourselves for a few hours only, until I could communicate with my friends and return to properly chastise this scoundrel." Steptoe drew in his breath with a slight whistle, and gazed at Van Loo.
He instantly understood him.