Says
mother: 'It's a hard world, but don't let it beat you, gals! Marry ef
you kin. Anyway, you must live, and you can't live off of women.' I
married a Delaware man, and so I quit bein' Martha Hanley and became
Patty Cannon."[7]
"And what a career you have led, Aunt Patty! Lived anywhere but in this
old pocket between the bays, you would have had the reputation of
Captain Kidd. Tell me now, conservatively, was not your own helpless
childhood the cause of your mistakes, and does it never make you feel
for other sparrow-birds like Hulda?"
The black-haired woman, with a certain evil-thinking, like one reflected
upon harshly, finally clapped her bold black eyes on McLane's, and
replied, chuckling:
"I don't know as it do, Cunnil. Before my mother pinted the way, I loved
the men. I loved 'em to be bad. Mommy tuk us as we drifted. An' as fur
Huldy yer, her mother throws her onto me; she's not like the Cannons an'
Johnsons; she's full of pride, and," with an oath, "let it be tuk out of
her! Will you pay my price?"
He hesitated.
"It's not the price, Patty; it's the way. Isn't it cowardly?"
"Yes," said Patty, saucily, "it's kidnappin'. That's the trade yer. Pay
down the money, Cunnil, an' this bare room will brighten to be your
wedding chamber. Pah! are you a man!"
Her words aroused the visions self-love can reluctantly repulse, and
which, entertained but an instant, grow irresistible.
Pages:
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601