The Yankee Champion — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

106 THE YANKEE CHAMPION. ‘But he is still my son,’’ groaned the arch hypo- » crite, vainly endeavoring to make his deadly fear - appear to be paternal feeling. ‘“‘Forget that he is your son, and remember only that he has betrayed us all,” continued the smooth- faced fiend. ‘‘The blow can be easily struck—only the stroke that is necessary to kill a pig—that's all.”’ “Must I do this deed? Must I slay my own flesh and blood?”’ : , “You must.’’ A sudden gleam of sickly hope broke over the sinister face of Ryan. Are we not all equally interested in this affair?” _ heasked. ‘‘Are we not all equally betrayed and in- jured?’’ “Of course,’’ returned Baxter. Ryan cast a furtive glance about the room, as if he expected to see the ghost of Luke Soper. Then he moved his chair nearer to his companions, and in a low, husky voice, he said: “We have agreed that he who should betrav us should die. .My son has done that thing, and I give him up to his fate. But there has been nothing said as to who should be the executioner. Gideon has forfeited his life, for he has become a traitor, and in becoming a traitor he ceases to be my son. Now, it devolves upon me to kill him no more pei it does upon the rest of you?’’ ‘Well, and what do you propose to do?” adced Wimper. ‘“Why,’’ returned Ryan, ‘‘as we have never set- tled upon who should remove our enemies, suppose we cast lots to see who shall do the present deed?” The men gazed at each other for several moments in thoughtful silence. This was something new ae . _* re » ~~” “<> : : ‘ i \ A > | { y « i i sv vt ae OM i “as t A at tee 7 my a