muttered the second villain . They approached the unconscious David , and , while one pointed the dagger toward his heart , the other began to search the bundle beneath his head . Their two faces , grim , wrinkled and ghastly with guilt and fear , bent over their victim , looking horrible enough to be mistaken for fiends should he suddenly awake . Nay , had the villains glanced aside into the spring , even they would hardly have known themselves as reflected there . But David Swan had never worn a more tranquil aspect , even when asleep on his mother 's breast . `` I must take away the bundle , '' whispered one . `` If he stirs , I 'll strike , '' muttered the other . But at this moment a dog scenting along the ground came in beneath the maple trees and gazed alternately at each of these wicked men and then at the quiet sleeper . He then lapped out of the fountain . `` Pshaw ! '' said one villain . `` We can do nothing now . The dog 's master must be close behind . '' `` Let 's take a drink and be off , '' said the other . The man with the dagger thrust back the weapon into his bosom and drew forth a pocket-pistol , but not of that kind which kills by a single discharge . It was a flask of liquor with a block-tin tumbler screwed upon the mouth . Each drank a comfortable dram , and left the spot with so many jests and such laughter at their unaccomplished wickedness that they might be said to have gone on their way rejoicing . In a few hours they had forgotten the whole affair , nor once imagined that the recording angel had written down the crime of murder against their souls in letters as durable as eternity . As for David Swan , he still slept quietly , neither conscious of the shadow of death when it hung over him nor of the glow of renewed life when that shadow was withdrawn . He slept , but no longer so quietly as at first .
An hour 's repose had snatched from his elastic frame the weariness with which many hours XXXXX toil had burdened it .
In as beneath by of over to toward while with