Part 9 (2/2)
Creeping to the , he peered out, to find that it was no longer pitch dark; there was a sufficient gliuest to do all that the servants described
By this ti Her ently
”As to e shall do,” Mrs Orban said in that saether If there are thieves about the house, we can do nothing to check them They will not hurt us if we don't interfere There is nothing to be done but to behave as little like cowards as we can an Kate
”Hold your tongue, Kate,” said the usually gentle Mrs Orban, with sudden anger ”What good can it do to scare yourself and us by talking in such a way? We are in God's hands, don't forget that”
”Mother,” Eustace said, ”has father got his revolver aith him?”
”There are two in this room,” Mrs Orban replied ”Could you use one if necessary?”
”Oh, for un in his hands!” said Mary ”There's no saying which of us hewith one”
”Playing with one!” repeated Eustace scornfully; ”why, father says e”
Mrs Orban took a revolver froave it into the boy's hands
”It is loaded,” she said, and now there was the suspicion of a quiver in her voice; ”but realize I a you to be sensible
Don't shoot at randoht You are only to fire if terribly necessary Now ju a chill and fever”
From beneath her own pillow she drew out a second revolver, examined it, and set it on a table within easy reach
”Mother,” said Eustace in surprise, ”do you always sleep with a revolver under your pillow?”
”Only when your father is away,” was the reply ”Now, Mary and Kate, get intoto sit in this cosy chair with Miss Becky We will talk and keep the light burning; but it is ht”
Theterrified, and then Mrs Orban seated herself, with Becky in her arms, near the table where the revolver lay
Thus they prepared to face the re, utterly helpless, with nerves strung to the highest possible pitch, and hearts that beat wildly at every sound
CHAPTER V
THE FIRST SHOT
Mrs Orban's words were brave, her whole bearing courageous, but she was htened than she had ever been in her life before
It is doubtful whether she really believed her own assertion that nothing h she tried to As a matter of fact her prophecy was correct Scared by the screauest must have promptly run away He was probably alone, and, uncertain as to as in the house, had fled fro peppered by a revolver
It was found in theexcept the servants' watches, their few s-table, and Mary's rings The extraordinary silence hich he had perpetrated the theft, his skill in taking the rings off Mary's hand as it lay outside the coverlet, were not at all unprecedented--the natives were known to be silent and subtle as snakes in their doings