Part 27 (1/2)
”I've been in about forty battles, and here's that little devil rather worried about my pluck, and talkin' to me like a corps commander to a newly joined second-lieutenant All the same he's a remarkable child, and we'd better behave as if ere in for a real shi+ndy What do you think, Princess?”
”I think we are in for what you call a shi+ndy I auns”
This was done, a shot-gun and a hundred cartridges to each, while McGuffog, as aMannlicher, and two other rifles, a 303 and a small-bore Holland, were kept in reserve in the hall Sir Archie, free froamekeeper peremptory orders not to shoot till he was bidden, and Carfrae at the kitchen door arned to the saht apart froarden-room was the feeble spark of the electric torches, had the ale which roared in the chi the rafters of the hall seeo upstairs,” he told Saskia; ”there must be a view from the upper s”
”You can see the top of the old Tower, and part of the sea,” she said
”I knoell, for it was my only amuseh mountains far in the west” His depression seemed to have affected her, for she spoke listlessly, unlike the vivid creature who had led the way in
In a gaunt west-looking bedrooht before, they opened a fold of the shutters and looked out into a world of grey wrack and driving rain The Tower roof showed e of down, but its environs were not in their prospect The lower regions of the House had been glooh, but this bleak place with its drab outlook struck a chill to Sir Archie's soul He dolefully lit a cigarette
”This is a pretty rotten show for you,” he told her ”It strikes hthtmares for three years,” she said wearily
He cast his eyes round the room ”I think the Kennedys were mad to build this confounded barrack I've always disliked it, and old Quentin hadn't any use for it either Cold, cheerless, raw iddy place for you, Princess”
”It has been my prison, when I hoped it would be a sanctuary But it may yet be my salvation”
”I'ry I don't suppose there's any chance of tea for you”
She shook her head She was looking fixedly at the Tower, as if she expected so to appear there, and he followed her eyes
”Rum old shell, that Quentin used to keep all kinds of live stock there, and ere boys it was our castle where we played at bein'
robber chiefs It'll be dashed queer if the real thing should turn up this time I suppose McCunn's Poet is roostin' there all by his lone
Can't say I envy hiht his arm ”I see a man,” she whispered ”There! He is behind those far bushes There is his head again!”
It was clearly a man, but he presently disappeared, for he had come round by the south end of the House, past the stables, and had now gone over the ridge
”The cut of his jib is uncoht McCunn had stretched hi should turn out a farce, I simply can't face Loudon I say, Princess, you don't suppose by any chance that McCunn's a little bit wrong in the head?”
She turned her candid eyes on hi mood”
”My feet are cold and I don't ed if I knohat it is, but I don't feel this show a bit real If it isn't, we're in a fair way to et pretty well eht for the red-haired boy, for he can take everything seriously, even play I could do the sa myself when I was a kid I don't mind runnin' some kinds of risk--I've had a few in my time--but this is so infernally outlandish and I--I don't quite believe in it That is to say, I believe in it right enough when I look at you or listen to McCunn, but as soon as ettin' old and I've a stake in the country, and I daresay I'--anyway I don't want to make a jackass of myself Besides, there's this foul weather and this beastly house to ice rey cloud-bounded stage in which the roof of the Toas the central feature, actors had appeared Di over the ridge, as if co from the Garplefoot
She seized his arone Her eyes were shi+ning
”It is they,” she cried ”The nightmare is real at last Do you doubt now?”
He could only stare, for these shapes arriving and vanishi+ng like wisps of fog still seehtly clutched, and craned towards thespace He tried to open the fralass A swirl of wind drove inwards and blew a loose lock of Saskia's hair across his brow
”I wish Dougal were back,” he muttered, and then came the crack of a shot