As I passed the slit of light I caught sight of the sergeant of
dragoons, and stopped beyond the door to listen. I heard Brocton's voice,
and caught the words, "Egad, I'll e'en try her. Take the best horse
available. There's no danger, but speed is everything." He dropped his
voice to a whisper and for a moment or two I caught nothing. Then, raising
his voice again, he said, "And now for your prize." I heard him move to
go, and darted ahead, silent as a bat in a barn, and a moment later was in
the noisy street. There was nothing to keep me now, and a few minutes
later I quietly lifted Marry-me-quick's latch, stepped into the room, and
observed at once that Mistress Waynflete's look imported news.
"Now, little mother," said I to Mistress Tonks, "supper's the blessedest
word I know."
"And the rabbit-stew's as good as done by now," she said, and went into
the back room to dish it up.
"The man with the slit face has been," said Mistress Waynflete
composedly. "He came hunting for quarters, but Mistress Tonks frightened
him off. At any rate, he soon left."
"Did he recognize you as 'Moll' of the Hanyards?"
"I'm quite sure that he did not.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88