Menotah: A Tale of the Riel Rebellion. Trevena John

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СКАЧАТЬ up the lamp and held it above his head. As a dark body stirred slowly, his brow grew damp and his face white. But the blood returned slowly to his face, when the feeble rays smote upon the abject countenance of the miserable Denton. 'I thought I was alone,' he said, with a short laugh. 'Are you one of the crowd?'

      Denton crept up to the table, with shivering limbs and ghastly eyes.

      'You're looking sick,' Lamont continued. 'What were you doing in that corner?'

      'I was asleep,' came the shaky answer. 'My eyes were weary from much searching of the Scriptures.'

      The young man laughed openly. 'I guess a rifle will be of more use to you than the Scriptures to-night.'

      The other grabbed his arm. 'Say, this is just a job you're putting up on McAuliffe, eh?'

      'You keep your ears fairly active when you're asleep. But it's true enough, siree. The nitchies are on the red-hot jump for us.'

      'We shall be killed,' quavered Denton, with hands shaking like river reeds.

      A hearty roar of laughter burst from the doorway as the Factor's burly figure blocked the aperture. 'The nitchies are after you, Peter, so you'll be killed sure. Never mind, lad. You're all the time saying you can see the gates of the heavenly city open before you. Kind of anxious now whether you haven't switched off on a side track, eh?'

      Lamont sprang to his feet, passing his fingers caressingly round the rifle stock. 'I'm ready to shift, Factor. The sooner we're over the better. There may be spies around.'

      'They're dead sure we're trapped,' said McAuliffe 'Anyway, we'll be as easy there as here. Get a gait on, Peter. We're going to stick you up the end of the island, same as we used to fix up a pole with old clothes on it, in the fields at home, to scare away the crows.'

      'Choke off, Alf,' interposed Winton. 'If you chaps start that chin music, we sha'n't get away before sunrise.'

      'Well, I'm not delaying you. Peter's mismanager here. Goldam! listen to that, will you?'

      His face grew stern again, and he held up a great hairy hand.

      'The half-breed's whistle,' said Lamont. 'There's danger around.'

      'Shut the door!' shouted the ex-minister, wildly.

      'Quit your blasted noise. There it comes. Goldam! listen to it.'

      Again the weird conflict of sounds proceeded from the forest. There was a great crashing of branches, the sharp striking of hoofs upon rock, the heavy plungings of a frightened animal. Up from the river came the second warning whistle.

      The moonlight poured into the room; the Factor dashed outside, with weighty axe in his hands; the next minute a loud oath rolled off his tongue.

      A black horse was pawing at the turf. At every sound he flung up his head and trembled, while his eyes glittered savagely.

      'You tell me old Billy's been fixed by nitchies?' shouted McAuliffe. 'If anyone says that, it's a dam' great lie. There's been filthy work around here to-night, boys, or I'm talking through my hat.'

      Then Lamont came forward, with his usual grace of motion. 'You're right,' he said slowly; 'the rifle's strapped to the saddle yet. No Indian would lose such a chance.'

      The Factor bit at his moustache, and glanced round towards Winton beneath heavy eyebrows. Midway his gaze was arrested by Lamont, and the two stared at each other in the white light. McAuliffe was the first to lower his gaze.

      Kitty, the grey one-eyed mare, came and rubbed her nose against the black horse. Then an owl hooted loudly from the edge of the bush.

      A weird shriek came from the interior of the fort.

      'It's the signal!' exclaimed Winton, excitedly.

      'That's the genuine moper,' said the Factor, sullenly. 'Come on, boys, let's get across the water. I reckon the devil himself's among us to-night.'

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