"
"You arrest me?"
"Precisely."
"As a spy?"
"Why not?"
"It is impossible, Nighthawk!"
"You resist?"
"I might do so."
And, opening his coat, Mr. Swartz exhibited a bowie-knife and revolver.
"I show you these little toys," said he, laughing good-humoredly, "to
let you see, my friend, that I might oppose your project--and you know
I am not backward in using them on occasion. But I make a difference.
You are not a common police-officer or detective, Nighthawk--you are a
friend and comrade, and I am going to prove that I appreciate your
feelings, and respect your wishes."
Nighthawk fixed his eyes on the speaker and listened.
"You are a friend of General Mohun's," said Mr. Swartz, with bland good
humor; "you wish to secure a certain document in which he is
interested; you fancy I have that document here in the city of
Richmond; and your object, very naturally, is to force me to surrender
it. Well, I do not object to doing so--for a consideration. I fully
intend to produce it, when my terms are accepted. I would have stated
them to you in the Wilderness, but you were unable to meet me--or to
General Mohun, but his violence defeated every thing. You meet me now,
and without discussion, demand the paper. I reply, that I have not
brought it with me, but three days from this time will meet you at a
spot agreed on, with the document, for which you will return me--my
consideration.
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