Silence rose to his feet and peered out. The next minute he was gone.
Relieved of the dominating presence, the clergyman thrust his face close
into mine. "I don't much care for this waiting game," he whispered, "but
Silence wouldn't hear of my sitting up with the others; he said it would
prevent anything happening if I did."
"He knows," I answered shortly.
"No doubt in the world about that," he whispered back; "it's this
'Double' business, as he calls it, or else it's obsession as the Bible
describes it. But it's bad, whichever it is, and I've got my Winchester
outside ready cocked, and I brought this too." He shoved a pocket Bible
under my nose. At one time in his life it had been his inseparable
companion.
"One's useless and the other's dangerous," I replied under my breath,
conscious of a keen desire to laugh, and leaving him to choose. "Safety
lies in following our leader--"
"I'm not thinking of myself," he interrupted sharply; "only, if anything
happens to Joan to-night I'm going to shoot first--and pray afterwards!"
Maloney put the book back into his hip-pocket, and peered out of the
doorway.
Pages:
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197