Opening unwilling eyes, I found George
beside me, holding a steaming glass to my lips, and now felt myself
deathly cold and shivering in every limb.
"Drink it, sir--hot rum an' a slice o' lemon--nought like it--drink
it. Lord, Mr. Vereker, sir--'ere be a go sure-ly!" he exclaimed,
smiling and nodding, as I sipped the fragrant beverage. "Awhile agone
comes an 'orse into the yard, a-stampin' and a-neighin', so up I jumps
and looks out o' winder. 'Lord, old woman,' I sez, 'yonder's Mr.
Vereker's Wildfire,' I sez, 'I'd know 'im anywheers,' I sez; 'but what
beats me,' I sez, 'there ain't Mr. Vereker.' So down I comes, rubs
down the 'oss, takes the lanthorn an' is about to start lookin' for
you when in you comes an' wi' you this poor lass--so wot I says now
is, Lord, Mr. Vereker, sir, 'ere 's a go, sure-ly!"
"It is!" said I. "What of the girl, poor soul?"
"All right, Mr. Vereker, sir--she'm wi' my old woman, y' see,
consequently she'll be right as ninepence in the morning, bless your
'eart, sir."
"I doubt it, George. You see, I found her--in the pine wood yonder,
close beside that damnable gate in the wall."
"Did ye so, sir, did ye so?" said he in altered voice. Then, clenching
his brawny fists, he raised frowning eyes to a bayonet above the
mantel, a long, deadly-looking thing that glittered with constant
cleaning. "Ah, by God!" he growled fiercely, "by God, Mr. Vereker,
sir--there's them as I'd like t' have wrigglin' their beastly lives
out on the end o' my old bagnet--"
"Hot water, Jarge!" commanded the buxom Mary from the stairs.
Pages:
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380