Part 38 (2/2)
”By Jove, but you're clear grit, Miss Huston!” Lieutenant Jack cried, admiringly.
”Clear American, I hope,” retorted the girl. ”Why should men be the only ones who can do or dare for the Flag?”
”Will you let me have the revolver, Miss Huston?”
”Gladly.”
”Thank you. Now, if you will get inside he cab again.”
”And you?”
”I'll sit with the driver and watch him,”
Jack kept his eye on the surly fellow until Miss Huston was inside the cab.
”Now, fellow, you get up on the box, and handle the reins from the left side,” ordered the young naval officer.
”I always drive on the right side o' the box,” came the sulky retort.
”Undoubtedly; but you're driving on the left side this afternoon,”
returned Benson, with a look of significance. ”By the way, did I mention the fact, yet, that I have an uncertain and bad temper? Now, climb up into your place, and don't you attempt to start until I'm beside you and give the word!”
A moment later Jack Benson sat beside the driver, holding the revolver in his right hand.
”Now, back to the house,” spoke the young naval officer.
Without a word the driver turned his horses about, heading back.
”Here we are!” came, cheerily, from Lieutenant Abercrombie, R.N.
Millard was sitting up, a black scowl on his face as Jack and the others appeared.
”Now, I've got to get this outfit back into Was.h.i.+ngton, somehow,” mused Jack, after noticing that Abercrombie had allowed the other thug to crawl away to safety.
”Why, of course, dear old fellow, you under stand that I'm helping,”
hinted the British officer.
”That's mighty good of you,” murmured Jack. ”Then we can do it easily.”
Daisy Huston had stepped from the cab. She stood regarding the scowling captive.
”I'm glad I know you, Donald; glad I found you out in time,” she said, quietly, gazing hard at him.
”I thought you a friend,” Millard retorted, bitterly. ”Great Heavens, Daisy, if you had been on my side through thick and thin, in good report and ill, I could have defied all these idiots in Was.h.i.+ngton. What an ally you would have been! But you chose to be an enemy.”
”An enemy to my country's enemies, yes,” replied the girl, steadily.
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