Part 58 (1/2)

Mr Knightley was a enerally the best of an argu down anybody who differed froan now 'Well, my ed to do so But we have fired our last cartridge--the doctor thought we had a thousand left--in which case, I may as well tell you, you'd never have had this pleasure Captain Starlight, I surrender my sword--or should do so if I had one We trust to receive honourable treatment at your hands'

'I'm sure the Captain will never perhtley, with a look in her eyes that, in spite of herself, said a deal more than words 'Why, I danced ”vis-a-vis” to hiet the honour,' says Starlight, walking forward and bowing low 'Permit me to offer you a chair, madam; you look faint'

As he did so she sank down in it, and really looked as if she would faint away It wouldn't have been ht

Then Mr Knightley began again He wanted to kno he stood He didn't like the look of Moran and Wall--they were a deal too quiet for him, and he could read men's faces like a book The other two prisoners were the German Dr Schiller--a plucky old chap, who'd been a rebel and a conspirator and I don't knohat all in his own country He'd seen tooto trouble himself over much about a trifle of this kind The old woman was a family servant, who had been with them for years and years She was a kind of worshi+pper of theirs, and was ready to live or die with her htley stood up and faced them all like a man He was one of those chaps that makes up their ot to deal with, and if there's anything to be said or done lets 'eht froht and square--with his head thrown back, and his eyes--very bright and sharp they were--looking everya notice and had no time to spare, you couldn't have told, from his look, or voice, or , or whether he was dead sure they'd go right

Soht that's passing through theirletters on their breasts, like a handbill: '200 Pounds reward,' and so on

Well, Mr Knightley wasn't one of that sort, though I saw hier on Moran than the rest of 'em

'Now then, boys,' he says, 'we've had our flutter out I've done ed one of your lot, and you've done your best to pot me See here,' and he lifts up the collar of his coat and shows a hole through it, touches his head on the side, and brings away a red mark; and takes out his watch with the case all battered in by a revolver bullet 'You can't say I hadn't cause to show fight,' and he points to his wife 'Where's the lishman's house is his castle What aht, but he didn't take no notice, and htley look over at him too It was the first time I ever seen him look hard when there was a woman in the case, and such a one! But he kept his face set and stern-like

Then Moran breaks in--

'Expect, be blowed! What the----do you expect noe've got yer to rights; are we going to let you off after knocking over Daly? No dashed fear, mister, we'll serve you the sarub and another glass or two of your grog You've got sohtley, still h then, he could sing a song with a bullet through hi bad-te for Mr Lowe Don't you remember that chestnut Sir Henry colt that no one else could ride, and I backed you not to get thrown, and won a fiver? But I'ame at billiards as well ashi to the good, and have every spare ah I'll play a card Listen You shall have a hundred fivers--500 Pounds in notes--by to-htley and the doctor ride to Bathurst for the money What do you say?'

'D--n you and yourelse D'ye hear that? You're a dead man now; if you're not buried by this time to-morrow, it won't be because you're not as ready for it as Patsey is'

I saw Mrs Knightley turn round and clasp her hands; her face grehite as death, but she said nothing, only looked over at Starlight, and her eyes grew bigger and bigger, while her mouth trembled just the least bit

'You're off your head, Moran,' says Mr Knightley, pulling out a cigar and lighting it 'But I suppose you're the chief man, and all the rest must do as you tell theht, very quiet, but I knew by the first word that he spoke so 'Daly dropped, and it can't be helped Accidents will happen If you play at bowls you ht; no one can say otherwise Let us put it to the vote I propose that Mr Knightley's offer be accepted

Not that I intend to take a shi+lling of the money'

'Nor me either,' says I 'So you three chaps will have it to share between you I don't see that we can do better A fight's a fight, and if Patsey got his gruel it htley hi in cold blood, I'm not on, and so I tell you'

'I suppose you think you and Starlight's going to boss the lot of us, because you've been doing it fine at the Turon races along with a lot of blasted swells as 'ud scrag us if they had the chance, and we're to take sochaps

Not if Dan Moran knows it What ant is satisfaction--blood for blood--and we're a-goin' to have it, eh,before this They were not bad chaps underneath, but Moran was such a devil when he was raised that they didn't like to cross hihtley, and wanted to sheet it hoot to the brandy too, and it didn't make ht didn't speak for a minute or two I couldn't think what he was at If Jiht, three to three Noere two to three I knew Starlight had a good card to play, and was ready to play it, but he aiting on the deal Mr Knightley must have had some sort of notion of the hand; he onderful quick at picking up the points of the ga, and looked as cool as you please, s on his mind and wanted a rest The lady sat quite still and pale, but her beautiful eyes kept wandering round froht in a trap Dr Schiller found it hard lines on hier

'Good heafens!' he says, 'are you s when you haf such an ovver as dis? Subbose you shood us all, what then? Will not the whole coundry rice and hund you down like mat docks?'

'That won't rin