“All that’s very well in your hands, and from your mouth, good sir; but how know we that the document you bear is not forged and false—­and that you, with your people there, have not got up this fetch to trick us out of those possessions which you have not the heart to fight for?  We’re up to trap, you see.”

With this insolent speech, Dexter contrived to show his impatience of the parley, and that brutal thirst which invariably prompted him to provoke and seek for extremities.  The eye of the Georgian flashed out indignant fires, and his fingers instinctively grasped the pistol at his holster, while the strongly-aroused expression of his features indicated the wrath within.  With a strong and successful effort, however, though inwardly chafed at the necessity of forbearance, he contrived, for a while longer, to suppress any more decided evidence of emotion, while he replied:—­

“Your language, sirrah, whatever you may be, is ruffianly and insolent; yet, as I represent the country and not myself in this business, and as I would perform my duties without harshness, I pass it by.  I am not bound to satisfy you, or any of your company, of the truth of the commission under which I act.  It is quite enough if I myself am satisfied.  Still, however, for the same reason which keeps me from punishing your insolence, and to keep you from any treasonable opposition to the laws, you too shall be satisfied.  Look here, for yourselves, good people—­you all know the great seal of the state!”

He now held up the document from which he had read, and which contained his authority; the broad seal of the state dangling from the parchment, distinctly in the sight of the whole gang.  Dexter approached somewhat nearer, as if to obtain a more perfect view; and, while the Georgian, without suspicion, seeing his advance, and supposing that to be his object, held it more toward him, the ruffian, with an active and sudden bound, tore it from his hands, and leaping, followed by all his group, over his defences, was in a moment close under cover, and out of all danger.  Rising from his concealment, however, in the presence of the officer, he tore the instrument into atoms, and dashing them toward their proprietor, exclaimed—­

“Now, captain, what’s the worth of your authority?  Be off now in a hurry, or I shall fire upon you in short order!”

We may not describe the furious anger of the Georgian.  Irritated beyond the control of a proper caution, he precipitately—­and without that due degree of deliberation which must have taught him the madness and inefficacy of any assault by his present force upon an enemy so admirably disposed of—­gave the command to fire; and after the ineffectual discharge, which had no other result than to call forth a shout of derision from the besieged, he proceeded to charge the barrier, himself fearlessly leading the way.  The first effort to break through the barricades was sufficient to teach him the folly of the design and