The Illegal Marriage — page 96: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

g8 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. but hoped to get Stannard’s secret into his pos- session. } “T’d like to know, Hawks, how you are going to make him give me anything. You are quizzing me?” “T’ll give you the offer just once more, boss, and ef you don’t want to trade, I kin find a man who will. Now what’ll you give me ef I make him give you the finest plantation in Crawford County?” “Hawks! if you will give me the secret with it, I’ll double the money.” “Who said anything about a secret?” “T know you too well, Hawks. I can read you like a book. You could not make him do anything unless you had him in your power. It was you who made him lend me the money, to go into your pocket.” “Tf I had a secret of his’n do you suppose I’d give it to you?” “You might sell it to me.” “P’raps I might ef you’d the cash in hand. This note business is too risky. You might make a re- ceipt in full, or suthen of the kind, d’ye see?” The young man looked up sullenly, but said no more. The time might come when he could buy this secret and have that haughty Stannard in his power; but for the present he must forego that pleasure. He now saw that Hawks was in earnest, and gladly treated on the latter’s terms. “Give me five thousand,” said Hawks, “in gold, mind, no bank-notes, and I’ll see that you have the fortin’. That’s dog cheap for puttin’ yer into two sich estates, with a wife in the bargain. You’ll be the richest man in these parts.” “T’ll give you that much, Hawks, for both.” “I must have it in writin’ though, Here! write Comicbooks (Ele) . ae oY Vi ead 5