Part 33 (1/2)
”There's somebody around the house.”
”Na.”
”I tell you--yes!”
”Hit's the dawgs.”
”I heard a man's step on the path, I tell you.”
”Yer dreamin', ole woman--”
”I'm not, I tell ye.”
”Go back to sleep.”
The man settled again and breathed deeply.
The woman remained on her elbow, listening with every nerve strained in agony.
Again she heard a step on the gravel. This time another footfall joined the first. She gripped her husband's shoulders and shook him violently.
”John, John!” she whispered.
He had half roused himself this time, shocked into consciousness by her trembling grip on his shoulders. But above all by the tremor in her whispered call.
”What is it, Mahala?”
”For G.o.d's sake, get up quick and call the boys down outen the loft.”
”No!” he growled.
”I tell you, there's somebody outside--”
They were both sitting on the edge of the bed now, speaking in whispers.
”You're dreamin', ole 'oman,” he persisted.
”I heard 'em. There's more'n one. I heard some on the other side of the house. I heard two in front. Call the boys down--”
”Don't wake the boys up fer nothin--”
”Is yer gun loaded?”
”No.”
”Oh, my G.o.d.”
”I ain't got no powder. I don't kill game in the springtime.”
They both listened. All was still. They could hear the breathing of the little girls in the trundle bed.