Part 4 (1/2)
In the resultant light the e room furnished with an old walnut bed, dresser, and cohtless s opened at the far end toward the road, Bridge assuainst which he leaned In the last flicker of the match the man scanned the door itself for a lock and, to his relief, discovered a bolt--old and rusty it was, but it still moved in its sleeve An instant later it was shot--just as the sound of the dragging chain ceased outside Near the door was the great bed, and this Bridge dragged before it as an additional barricade; then, bearing nothing more from the hallway, he turned his attention to the two unconscious forly he went to the boy first though had he questioned himself he could not have told why; for the youth, undoubtedly, had only swooned, while the girl had been the victiht even be at the point of death
What was the appeal to the man in the pseudo Oskaloosa Kid? He had scarce seen the boy's face, yet the terrified figure had aroused within hily, the protective instinct Doubtless it was the call of youth and weakness which find, always, an answering assurance in the strength of a strong roped toward the spot where the boy had fallen his eyes, now become accustomed to the darkness of the roo up ”Well?” he asked ”Feeling better?”
”Where is it? Oh, God! Where is it?” cried the boy ”It will come in here and kill us as it killed that--that--down stairs”
”It can't get in,” Bridge assured him ”I've locked the door and pushed the bed in front of it Gad! I feel like an old lars”
Fro of the chain acco upon the bare floor With a scream the youth leaped to his feet and ale His arms were about the man's neck, his face buried in his shoulder
”Oh, don't--don't let it get e adet in?”
”How do you know it can't get in?” whi thatthat ot in to the in to us What are doors to such a THING?”
”Coe tried to soothe him ”You have a case of nerves Lie down here on this bed and try to sleep Nothing shall harh at your fears”
”Lie on THAT bed!” The voice was almost a shriek ”That is the bed the Squibbs were murdered in--the old man and his wife No one would have it, and so it has remained here all these years I would rather die than touch the thing Their blood is still upon it”
”I wish,” said Bridge a trifle sternly, ”that you would try to control yourself a bit Hysteria won't help us any Here we are, and we've towo to help her”
The boy, evidently shae and moved away ”I am sorry,” he said ”I'll try to do better; but, Oh! I was so frightened You cannot iined,” said Bridge, ”from what I had heard of hihten The Oskaloosa Kid--you have, you know, rather a reputation for fearlessness”
The darkness hid the scarlet flush which e crossed to where the young woman still lay upon the floor where he had deposited her Then The Kid spoke ”I'm sorry,” he said, ”that I made a fool of myself You have been so brave, and I have not helped at all I shall do better now”
”Good,” said Bridge, and stooped to raise the young woman in his arms and deposit her upon the bed Then he struck another match and leaned close to examine her The flare of the sulphur illuainst the outer blackness where the unglazed s stared vacantly upon the road beyond, bringing to a sudden halt a little co the slie felt the youth close beside hiirl upon the bed
”Is she dead?” the lad whispered
”No,” replied Bridge, ”and I doubt if she's badly hurt” His hands ran quickly over her liently; he unbuttoned her waist, getting the boy to strike and hold another ns of a bullet wound
”I can't find a scratch on her,” he said at last ”She's suffering froe Say, she's pretty, isn't she?”
The youth drew himself rather stiffly erect ”Her features are rather coarse, I think,” he replied There was a peculiar quality to the tone which caused Bridge to turn a quick look at the boy's face, just as the match flickered and went out The darkness hid the expression upon Bridge's face, but his conviction that the girl was pretty was unaltered The light of the match had revealed an oval face surrounded by dark, dishevelled tresses, red, full lips, and large, dark eyes
Further discussion of the young wo of the chain without Noas receding along the hallway toward the stairs and presently, to the infinite relief of The Oskaloosa Kid, the two heard it descending to the lower floor
”What was it, do you think?” asked the boy, his voice still tree of hysteria