Mary Gaunt

“ What might they not do?
"We'll just look round a bit," said Slim Jim, with the air of a man who pours oil on the troubled waters. "There might be some hidden about the place, you know, an' we'd find it."
"There isn't any hidden about the place," said Kitty earnestly. "Look for yourselves, look everywhere. You can keep anything you find."
"Don't trouble yourself about that," said the Night-Owl significantly; "we ain't shy. An' if we don't find suthin' good," he added, pausing at the bedroom door, "it'll be the worse for you." ”

“ Kitty stood still as though fascinated, though the pistol was not directed at her but at the man beside her.
"Throw up your hands," came the order.
Up went his hands above his head, and his companion followed suit.
"All right, boss, don't shoot. We know when to cave in."
The man on horseback swore an oath that intimated he rather hoped they did, and if they didn't he had some little persuaders handy.
"Dog," said he, "you take them coves back to the hut. Blue Charlie can take the horses an' give 'em a good square meal, poor beggars. Jim an' me'll escort the ladies." ”

“ We know well enough the boss is at Boolan, an' ain't likely to get back, or maybe we shouldn't be here. I'm Pete Aitken the Night-Owl, who maybe you hearn tell on, an' this here is Slim Jim, my mate."
The two women, holding each other's hands, looked round helplessly. The swirling creek was behind them, the overflowing waters were lapping round their very feet now, the rain was coming down harder than ever, the darkness was falling, and the two men, the only ones they could look to for protection, had gone back to the hut apparently contentedly enough. ”

“ I guess we'll go when the rain's let up a bit."
Kitty looked outside into the night. Judging by the outlook there, they would keep their unwelcome guests for an indefinite period.
"If them galoots in the hut——" began Nora again, but the Night-Owl laid a threatening hand on his pistol, and her mistress silenced her with a look.
"We'll have to make the best of it, Nora," she said with a faint smile.
"There's a brave lady," said Slim Jim, as if it were a great relief to see a return to cheerfulness; "an' we'll treat you like ladies, we will, indeed. ”

“ Two women stood peering out into the rain and mist.
"Come along, Kitty dear," said the younger, "light the lamp and let us have tea. It is no good waiting for Harry."
The door opened and in came a maid-servant with a smiling Irish face.
"Av ye plaze, ma'am, will ye be afther havin' tay? Patsy O'Donnell says 'tisn't the laste bit av good in the world waitin' for the masther, for the creek's comin' down a banker, an' 'tis at Boolan he'll have to stop till it goes down again."
"Oh, Nora!" Kitty Russell spoke as reproachfully as if it were the girl's fault; "the creek a banker? ”

“ On seeing the other two come in Nora stole outside. The Night-Owl divined her errand and laughed uproariously.
"Thinks to rout out the boys outside, does she?" he said. "Them boys is right enough. They know blamed well if they was to go agin us by so much as a wink, the Night-Owl 'ud skin 'em alive next time he come along this way."
And then he pushed aside the tea that had been offered him and called for brandy, and Kitty, very unwillingly, had to yield up the keys of the sideboard. Slim Jim saw her fear.
"I'll shoot the first man dares lay a finger on you," he said reassuringly. ”

“ The watchers grew wild with anxiety and there grew up in them a very friendly feeling for this man, who, though he was outwardly their enemy, was doing his very best for them, and they forgot that but for him and his mates they would have been in no such plight. ”

“ He'll have to hang on till the floods go down."
{{c| [Illustration: "Slim Jim flung the log as far as he could"]
"The tree is giving now! Nettie, Nettie! It's giving now! If the water rolls it over, it will drown him!"
The moon went under a cloud, down came the rain again, and the whole scene was blotted out from their straining eyes. Nettie flew up to the house, right up to the men she dreaded, and begged them to let the men from the hut come to their aid.
"I'll be blowed if I do," growled the Night-Owl. "Let them coves down an' that'll make three agin us, let alone you women. ”