L. Frank Baum

“ You'd betray me?"
"Not if I have the gold—here, in my hand—now, Signore."
Jones grew red and then white. He eyed the man wickedly. He scowled, and Silvio smiled pleasantly. Silvio was big for an Italian; big and brawny; as his smile faded his face assumed a look of stubborn determination.
"So you want the gold now, Silvio?"
"At once, if it please the Signore. The gendarmes are ugly if the law is broken. Their jails are not as pleasant as the grape-house. So the gold must be twice the amount we had spoken of, Signore." ”

“ Listen, Silvio: we must keep her there a week longer."
"If I am jailer a week, I mus' double my price," he asserted, shrugging his shoulders.
"Nonsense!"
"The lady will offer me more to let her out. She say so." ”