human
Fix yourself up a little. Your hat's a miz'able one--I'll swap with you. You've got to make up some cock-and-bull story now, for the old man'll want to know everything. You might say you'd been a sheriff down South somewhere since you got away from the feller that owned you.
gpt
Say you were a circuit-rider--that's more near the literal truth.
human
Without meanin' any disrespect, parson, don't you think 'twould tickle the old man and the citizens more to think he'd been a sheriff? They wouldn't dare to ask him so many questions then, either. And it might be onhandy for him if he was asked to preach, while a smart horse-thief has naturally got some of the p'ints of a real sheriff about him.
gpt
You insist upon it that he's my prisoner, said the preacher, tugging away at his knot,
human
continued the young man, with one mighty pull at the knot,
gpt
You can make anything you please out of me, said the prisoner.
human
Only hurry!
gpt
As you say, parson, remarked the sheriff, with admirable meekness;
human
Circuit-riders get higher than that, sometimes, said the preacher, leading his prisoner toward old Wardelow's cabin;
gpt
Oh!