CHAPTER XLVII. TOM GORDON'S PLANS.

,protectedbytheexpresswordsoflegaldecision?Hehadonlymetwithanaccidentintheexerciseofhislawfulpoweronaslaveintheactofrebellion. "Thefactis,Kite,"hesaid,tohisboon-companion,TheophilusKite,astheywereonedaysittingtogether,"I'mboundtohavethatfellow.I'mgoingtopublishaproclamationofoutlawry,andofferarewardforhishead.Thatwillbringitin,I'mthinking.I'llputituptoahandsomefigure,forthatwillbebetterthannothing." "Pityyoucouldn'tcatchhimalive,"saidKite,"andmakeanexampleofhim!" "Iknowit,"saidTom."I'dtakehimthelongwayround,thatIwould!Thatfellowhasbeenaneye-soretomeeversinceIwasaboy.Ibelieveallthedevilsthatareinmeareupabouthim." "Tom,"saidKite,"you'vegotthedevilinyou—nomistake!" "TobesureIhave,"saidTom."Ionlywantachancetoexpresshim.IwishIcouldgetholdofthefellow'swife!Icouldmakehimwincethere,Iguess.I'llgether,too,oneofthesedays!But,now,Kite,I'lltellyou,thefactis,somebodyroundhereisinleaguewithhim.Theyknowabouthim,Iknowtheydo.There'sthatsqueaky,leathery,long-nosedSkinflint,tradeswiththeniggersintheswamp—Iknowhedoes!Butheisadoubleandtwistedliar,andyoucan'tgetanythingoutofhim.OneofthesedaysI'llburnupthatolddenofhis,andshoothim,ifhedon'tlookout!JimStokestoldmethathesleptdownthere,onenight,whenhewastracking,andthatheheardSkinflinttalkingwithsomebodybetweentwelveandoneo'clockandhelookedout,andsawhimsellingpowdertoanigger." "Oh,thatcouldn'tbeHarry,"saidKite. "No,butit'soneofthegangthatheisinwith.And,then,there'sthatHark.Jimsaysthathesawhimtalking,—givingaletter,thathegotoutofthepost-office,toamanthatrodeofftowardsthewoods.Ithoughtwe'dhavethetruthoutofhisoldhide!Buthedidn'tholdoutasIthoughthewould." "Hokumdon'tunderstandhisbusiness,"saidKite."Heshouldn