Part 26 (1/2)
I had just tih the doorway ca a porcelain pannikin full of milk
There was no shadow of fear or horror on her face It was the old Ruth who stood before ave me She had been washed clean in the waters of sleep
”Don't worry, Walter,” she said ”I knohat you're thinking But I'ain”
”Where is Yuruk?” I turned to Drake bruskly to s in rimace abruptly forebore to press the question
”You et breakfast ready,” said Ruth
Drake picked up the teakettle and motioned otten outside ”I gave hio down the line a bit, showed hioats with it Hated to do it, but I kneould be good for his soul
”He gave one screech and fell on his face and groveled Thought it was a lightning bolt, I figure; decided I had been stealing Norhala's stuff
'Yuruk,' I told hier on that girl inside there'”
”And then what happened?” I asked
”He beat it back there” He grinned, pointing toward the forest through which ran the path the eunuch had shownback of a tree”
As we filled the container at the outer spring, I told him of the revelations and the offer Yuruk had made to me
”Whe!” he whistled ”In the nutcracker, eh? Trouble behind us and trouble in front of us”
”When do we start?” he asked, as we turned back
”Right after we've eaten,” I answered ”There's no use putting it off
How do you feel about it?”
”Frankly, like the chief guest at a lynching party,” he said ”Curious but none too cheerful”
Nor was I I was filled with a fever of scientific curiosity But I was not cheerful--no!
Weopen his set jaws, thrusting a thin rubber tube down past his windpipe into his gullet and dropping through it a few ounces of the goat h
We could not take Ruth with us upon our journey; that was certain; she must stay here with her brother She would be safer in Norhala's ho, of course, and yet to leave her wasAfter all, I wondered, was there any need of both of us taking the journey; would not one do just as well?
Drake could stay--
”No use of putting all our eggs in one basket,” I broached the subject
”I'll go down by myself while you stay and help Ruth You can always follow if I don't turn up in a reasonable tination at this proposal was o with him, dick Drake,” she cried, ”or I'll never look at or speak to you again!”
”Good Lord! Did you think for a led on his face ”We go together or neither of us goes Ruth will be all right here, Goodwin The only thing she has any cause to fear is Yuruk--and he's had his lesson