She was no longer afraid. She was, instead,
indignant, furious.
With one step she was in the room, leaving the road to the door open.
"Get out of here," she commanded.
The little man snarled, and stamped the floor. He shoved the gun nearer
to her.
"The jewels, damn you!" he whispered. "Do you want me to blow your fool
head off? Where are the jewels?"
"Jewels?" repeated Miss Farrar. "I have no jewels!"
"You lie!" shrieked the little man. "He said the house was full of
jewels. We heard him. He said he would stay to guard the jewels."
Miss Farrar recognized his error. She remembered Lathrop's jest, and
that it had been made while the two men were within hearing, behind the
stone wall.
"It was a joke!" she cried. "Leave at once!" She backed swiftly toward
the open window that looked upon the road. "Or I'll call your
sergeant!"
"If you go near that window or scream," whispered the rat-like one,
"I'll shoot!"
A heavy voice, speaking suddenly from the doorway, shook Miss Farrar's
jangled nerves into fresh panic.
"She won't scream," said the voice.
In the door Miss Farrar saw the bulky form of the sergeant, blocking her
escape.
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