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Book, page 11 / 29 her. "No, by Heaven!" he said, "you don't touch that till I've done with it. There's light enough for you to drag out your scraps." She did drag out her scraps and a bowl of milk, which might hold perhaps a quart. There was a fragment of bread, a morsel of cold potato-cake, and the bone of a leg of kid. "And is that all?" said he. But as he spoke he fleshed his teeth against the bone as a dog would have done. "It is the best I have," she said; "I wish it were better, and you should have had it without violence, as you have suffered so long from hunger." "Bah! Better; yes! You would give the best no doubt, and set the hell hounds on my track the moment I am gone. I know how much I might expect from your charity." "I would have fed you for pity's sake," she answered. "Pity! Who are you, that you should dare to pity me! By -, my young woman, it is I that pity you. I must cut your throat unless you give me money. Do you know that?" "Money! I have got no money." "I'll make you have some before I go. Come; don't move till I have done." And as he spoke to her he went on tugging at the bone, and swallowing the lumps of stale bread. He had already finished the bowl of milk. "And, now," said he, "tell me who I am." "I suppose you are Aaron Trow," she answered, very slowly. He said nothing on hearing this, but continued his meal, standing close to her so that she might not possibly escape from him out into the darkness. Twice or thrice in those few minutes she made up her mind to make such an attempt, feeling that it would be better to leave him in possession of the house, and make sure, if possible, of her own life. There was no money there; not a dollar! What money her father kept in his possession was locked up in his safe at Hamilton. And might he not keep to his threat, and murder her, when he found that she could give him nothing? She did not tremble outwardly, as
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