The Crossing [138]
stammered the host.
``Great Jehovah!'' cried Mr. Jackson, ``I believe he's afraid to race. He had a horse that could show heels to my Nancy, did he? And he's gone, you say?''
A light seemed to dawn on the landlord's countenance.
``God bless ye, Mr. Jackson!'' he cried, ``ye don't mean that young daredevil that was with Sevier?''
``With Sevier?'' says Jackson.
``Ay,'' says the landlord; ``he's been a-fightin with Sevier all summer, and I reckon he ain't afeard of nothin' any more than you. Wait--his name was Temple-- Nick Temple, they called him.''
``Nick Temple!'' I cried, starting forward.
``Where's he gone?'' said Mr. Jackson. ``He was going to bet me a six-forty he has at Nashboro that his horse could beat mine on the Greasy Cove track. Where's he gone?''
``Gone!'' said the landlord, apologetically, ``Nollichucky Jack and his boys left town an hour ago.''
``Is he a man of honor or isn't he?'' said Mr. Jackson, fiercely.
``Lord, sir, I only seen him once, but I'd stake my oath on it.
``Do you mean to say Mr. Temple has been here-- Nicholas Temple?'' I said.
The bewildered landlord turned towards me helplessly.
``Who the devil are you, sir?'' cried Mr. Jackson.
``Tell me what this Mr. Temple was like,'' said I.
The landlord's face lighted up.
``Faith, a thoroughbred hoss,'' says he; ``sech nostrils, and sech a gray eye with the devil in it fer go--yellow ha'r, and ez tall ez Mr. Jackson heah.''
``And you say he's gone off again with Sevier?''
``They rud into town'' (he lowered his voice, for the room was filling), ``snapped their fingers at Tipton and his warrant, and rud out ag'in. My God, but that was like Nollichucky Jack. Say, stranger, when your Mr. Temple smiled--''
``He is the man!'' I cried; ``tell me where to find him.''
Mr. Jackson, who had been divided between astonishment and impatience and anger, burst out again.
``What the devil do you mean by interfering with my business, sir?
``Because it is my business too,'' I answered, quite as testily; ``my claim on Mr. Temple is greater than yours.''
``By Jehovah!'' cried Jackson, ``come outside, sir, come outside!''
The landlord backed away, and the men in the tavern began to press around us expectantly.
``Gallop into him, Andy!'' cried one.
``Don't let him git near no fences, stranger,'' said another.
Mr. Jackson turned on this man with such truculence that he edged away to the rear of the room.
``Step out, sir,'' said Mr. Jackson, starting for the door before I could reply. I followed perforce, not without misgivings, the crowd pushing eagerly after. Before we reached the dusty street Jackson began pulling off his coat. In a trice the shouting onlookers had made a ring, and we stood facing each other, he in his shirt-sleeves.
``We'll fight fair,'' said he, his lips wetting.
``Very good,'' said I, ``if you are still accustomed to this hasty manner. You have not asked my name, my standing, nor my reasons for wanting Mr. Temple.''
I know not whether it was what I said that made him stare, or how I said it.
``Pistols, if you like,'' said he.
``No,'' said I; ``I am in a hurry to find Mr. Temple. I fought you this way once, and it's quicker.''
``You fought me this way once?'' he repeated. The noise of the crowd was hushed, and they drew nearer to hear.
``Come, Mr. Jackson,'' said I, ``you are a lawyer and a gentleman, and so am I. I do not care to be beaten to a pulp, but I am not afraid of you. And I am in a hurry. If you will step back into the tavern, I will explain to you my reasons for wishing to get to Mr. Temple.''
Mr. Jackson stared at me the more.
``By the eternal,'' said he, ``you are a cool man. Give me my coat,'' he shouted to the bystanders, and they helped him on with it. ``Now,'' said he, as they made to follow him, ``keep back. I would talk to this gentleman. By the heavens,'' he cried, when he had gained the room, ``I believe you are not afraid of me. I saw it in your eyes.''
Then I laughed.
``Mr. Jackson,'' said I,
``Great Jehovah!'' cried Mr. Jackson, ``I believe he's afraid to race. He had a horse that could show heels to my Nancy, did he? And he's gone, you say?''
A light seemed to dawn on the landlord's countenance.
``God bless ye, Mr. Jackson!'' he cried, ``ye don't mean that young daredevil that was with Sevier?''
``With Sevier?'' says Jackson.
``Ay,'' says the landlord; ``he's been a-fightin with Sevier all summer, and I reckon he ain't afeard of nothin' any more than you. Wait--his name was Temple-- Nick Temple, they called him.''
``Nick Temple!'' I cried, starting forward.
``Where's he gone?'' said Mr. Jackson. ``He was going to bet me a six-forty he has at Nashboro that his horse could beat mine on the Greasy Cove track. Where's he gone?''
``Gone!'' said the landlord, apologetically, ``Nollichucky Jack and his boys left town an hour ago.''
``Is he a man of honor or isn't he?'' said Mr. Jackson, fiercely.
``Lord, sir, I only seen him once, but I'd stake my oath on it.
``Do you mean to say Mr. Temple has been here-- Nicholas Temple?'' I said.
The bewildered landlord turned towards me helplessly.
``Who the devil are you, sir?'' cried Mr. Jackson.
``Tell me what this Mr. Temple was like,'' said I.
The landlord's face lighted up.
``Faith, a thoroughbred hoss,'' says he; ``sech nostrils, and sech a gray eye with the devil in it fer go--yellow ha'r, and ez tall ez Mr. Jackson heah.''
``And you say he's gone off again with Sevier?''
``They rud into town'' (he lowered his voice, for the room was filling), ``snapped their fingers at Tipton and his warrant, and rud out ag'in. My God, but that was like Nollichucky Jack. Say, stranger, when your Mr. Temple smiled--''
``He is the man!'' I cried; ``tell me where to find him.''
Mr. Jackson, who had been divided between astonishment and impatience and anger, burst out again.
``What the devil do you mean by interfering with my business, sir?
``Because it is my business too,'' I answered, quite as testily; ``my claim on Mr. Temple is greater than yours.''
``By Jehovah!'' cried Jackson, ``come outside, sir, come outside!''
The landlord backed away, and the men in the tavern began to press around us expectantly.
``Gallop into him, Andy!'' cried one.
``Don't let him git near no fences, stranger,'' said another.
Mr. Jackson turned on this man with such truculence that he edged away to the rear of the room.
``Step out, sir,'' said Mr. Jackson, starting for the door before I could reply. I followed perforce, not without misgivings, the crowd pushing eagerly after. Before we reached the dusty street Jackson began pulling off his coat. In a trice the shouting onlookers had made a ring, and we stood facing each other, he in his shirt-sleeves.
``We'll fight fair,'' said he, his lips wetting.
``Very good,'' said I, ``if you are still accustomed to this hasty manner. You have not asked my name, my standing, nor my reasons for wanting Mr. Temple.''
I know not whether it was what I said that made him stare, or how I said it.
``Pistols, if you like,'' said he.
``No,'' said I; ``I am in a hurry to find Mr. Temple. I fought you this way once, and it's quicker.''
``You fought me this way once?'' he repeated. The noise of the crowd was hushed, and they drew nearer to hear.
``Come, Mr. Jackson,'' said I, ``you are a lawyer and a gentleman, and so am I. I do not care to be beaten to a pulp, but I am not afraid of you. And I am in a hurry. If you will step back into the tavern, I will explain to you my reasons for wishing to get to Mr. Temple.''
Mr. Jackson stared at me the more.
``By the eternal,'' said he, ``you are a cool man. Give me my coat,'' he shouted to the bystanders, and they helped him on with it. ``Now,'' said he, as they made to follow him, ``keep back. I would talk to this gentleman. By the heavens,'' he cried, when he had gained the room, ``I believe you are not afraid of me. I saw it in your eyes.''
Then I laughed.
``Mr. Jackson,'' said I,