Page:Marriott Watson--Galloping Dick.djvu/102

 fashion, and spoke out his thanks, my temper broke.

“Sir,” says he, very stiffly, “in the name of King James III., I thank you for these services to-day. Rest assured that they shall not be forgotten when his Majesty comes to his own.”

’Twas then I turned on him savagely. “As for your King James,” says I, “or King Byblow, what the Devil is it to me? Let him go hang or go rot,” says I. “But damn my soul!” I says, “I have just let the life out of the only man I could ha’ took for friend, and all for a squinting country lout. And, damn your soul!” I says, “but I will take toll of you for the fact.”

Whereat, taking him by the throat, I made him deliver, for all his oaths and his fury. And a pretty sum I took upon that occasion, as I remember well, the which bought a box of dainty trinkets for Mrs Polly.