He laughed. "Well, now, that's good," he said; "that's what they call
speaking sarcastic. You was out to save, and not to lose, a life; that
was proved to the satisfaction of the court." He paused and chuckled to
himself, thinking he had been witty, and continued: "And I was that
court, and my judgment was that the debt of that life you saved had to be
paid to you within one calendar year, with interest at the usual per cent
for mortgages on good security. That was my judgment, and there's no
appeal from it. I am the great Justinian in this case."

"Did you ever save anybody's life?" she asked, putting the bottle of
cordial away, as he filled his glass for the third time.

"Twice certain, and once dividin' the honours," he answered, pleased at
the question.

"And did you expect to get any pay, with or without interest?" she
added.

"Me? I never thought of it again. But yes--by gol, I did! One case was
funny, as funny can be. It was Ricky Wharton over on the Muskwat River.
I saved his life right enough, and he came to me a year after and said,
You saved my life, now what are you going to do with it? I'm stony
broke. I owe a hundred dollars, and I wouldn't be owing it if you hadn't
saved my life. When you saved it I was five hunderd to the good, and
I'd have left that much behind me. Now I'm on the rocks, because you
insisted on saving my life; and you just got to take care of me.'
I 'insisted!' Well, that knocked me silly, and I took him on--blame me,
if I didn't keep Ricky a whole year, till he went north looking for gold.
Get pay--why, I paid! Saving life has its responsibilities, little gal."