God help me; I
never will agin, but die first!"
"Are you not afraid to lean on me?" lisped Van Dorn.
"No, sir."
"I have killed people, too."
"The Lord forgive you, sir; I know you won't kill _me_."
A sigh broke from the bandit's lips, in place of his usual soft lisp,
and was followed by a warm drop of water, as from the forest leaves now
bathed in night, that plashed on Levin's neck.
"O God," a soft voice said, "may I not die?"
Then Levin felt the same warm drops fall many times upon him, and his
nature opened like the plants to rain.
"I have found a friend, Captain," the boy spoke, after several minutes,
but not looking up; "I feel you cry."
"_Chito! chito!_" lisped Van Dorn; "here is Punch Hall."
Levin raised his head, and saw nothing but an old house standing in the
trees, with a little faint light streaming from the door, and heard the
low hilarity of drinking men. The whole band poured out to receive Van
Dorn's commands.
"One hour here to feed and rest!" Van Dorn exclaimed. "Let those sleep
who can. Let any straggle or riot who dare!"
CHAPTER XXXI.
PEACH BLUSH.
Judge Custis, whom we left riding out of Princess Anne on Sunday
afternoon, kept straight north, crossed the bottom of Delaware in the
early evening, and went to bed at Laurel, on Broad Creek, a few miles
south of Cannon's Ferry.
At daylight he was ahorse again, scarcely stiff from his exertion, and
feeling the rising joys of a stomach and brain becoming clearer than for
years, of all the forms of alcohol.
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