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Chester had entered the room upon Hal's heels; and, as his friend jumped for the first intruder, Chester rushed at the man in the next room. The latter heard him advance, and, stepping back, picked up a chair, which he brandished over his head. Taking a rapid stride forward, he swung his improvised weapon at Chester's head.
Hal's eyes suddenly filled with tears. She began to feel dazed and faint. It had been too much for her, and the relief was overwhelming. She thought of Lorraine, and her heart swelled to think he had so gloriously fulfilled her vast hopes, and crowned all she had done for him.
"You must go away, Lorry," he said, using Hal's pet name; "you are beginning to look thoroughly ill." "I don't feel well, but I haven't the heart to go alone. I should only get melancholia." "Hal seemed to think I ought to offer you a little companionship." He said it with a slightly bashful air. "Hal?..." in a sharp, questioning voice. "What has Hal been saying to you?" "Not much.
"Let me show you what a comfortable cruising cabin I have." "Hi, oh, yowl" yawned Hal, again. "Jack, I think I shall enjoy my rest to-night." "Same case here," agreed Benson, stifling a yawn that came as though in answer to Hal's. "I won't keep you long, gentlemen, if I am boring you," agreed their host, amiably. "Now, I'll go below first and light up. So! Now, come down and take a look.
Spearman was evidently not his real name, and it was evident that he had some knowledge of Hal's real rank, though he never hazarded mention of other name or title. The great drawback was the want of horses.
Without a moment's hesitation he advanced to the water's edge and plunged into the stream. The water was icy cold, and Hal's breath was taken away by the suddenness of the shock. He recovered himself in a moment, however, and struck out for the opposite shore. About half way across he became aware of voices on the shore immediately behind him.
Surtaine's head, and stalking across to Hal's desk, slapped down his proofs on it with a violence that jarred the whole structure. "You run that," he snarled, "or I'll hire the biggest hall in Worthington and tell the whole town what I've just been telling you." His face, furrowed and threatening, was thrust down close to Hal's.
I don't care for afterward. We're free, you and I. What's to hinder us from doing as we please? Who's going to be any the worse for it? Oh, I told you I was lawless. It's the Hardscrabbler blood in me, I guess." Deep in Hal's memory a response to that name stirred. "Somewhere," he said, "I have run across a Hardscrabbler before." "Me. But you've forgotten." "Have I? Let me see.
"I want to jump overboard and end all this suspense. I might as well die now as ten minutes from now. Oh my, I wish " "Well, Mr. Stubbs," came Hal's voice, "unless I miss my guess, you are likely to get your wish. Here comes one of the enemy to watch you die." "What's that?" exclaimed Chester and Colonel Anderson in a single voice. "Off to the right," replied Hal, quietly.
With her instinctive savoir faire, she brought up his suggestion that she might find some one to chaperon her, and stay with him at North Valley until he was ready to come away. Hal's heart leaped at that; he had no idea what was in her mind the certainty that no one of the ladies of the Harrigan party would run the risk of offending her host by staying under such circumstances.
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