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A sudden, blinding flash, a deafening report, and, dropping his pistol, Mr. Shrig groaned and staggered up against the wall. But Barnabas was ready and, as their assailants rushed, met them with whirling stick. It was desperate work, but Barnabas was in the mood for it, answering blow with blow, and shout with shout. "Oh, Jarsper!" roared a distant voice, "we're coming. Hold 'em, Jarsper!"
"Well, Corporal, what of them?" "Sir, they're a-waiting for you!" "Are you sure, Corporal? A poor creature committed suicide to-day; I thought they were here on that account." "No, sir, that was only a blind, they're a-watching and a-waiting to take you for the Gaunt murder. My pal Jarsper knows, and my pal Jarsper sent me here to give you the office to lay low and not to venture out to-night."
Reaching my small library, the officer seated himself at my invitation and depositing hat and stick very precisely beneath his chair, sat looking more unctuously mild than ever, there was about him a vague suggestion of conventicles, and a holy Sabbatarian calm. "You said your name was Shrig, I think?" said I. "Jarsper Shrig, sir, at your sarvice."
"So that vere the end o' the Corp's soldiering!" nodded Mr. Shrig. "Yes," sighed the Corporal, "a one-handed soldier ain't much good, ye see, sir." "So they throwed 'im out!" snarled Mr. Shrig. "Now Jarsper," smiled the giant, shaking his head. "Why so 'ard on the sarvice? They give me m' stripe." "And your dis-charge!" added Mr. Shrig. "And a pension," said the soldier. "Pension," sniffed Mr.
'Do you know that your forties have stretched into thousands? 'No. 'They have though. 'What's the time? 'Hark! The bells are going in the Tower! They strike four quarters, and then the great bell strikes. 'Two! cries Durdles, scrambling up; 'why didn't you try to wake me, Mister Jarsper? 'I did. I might as well have tried to wake the dead your own family of dead, up in the corner there.
"They was, Jarsper, they was oncommon!" quoth the smaller man hoarsely. "'Enery, 'old your tongue! Now, sir, am I right or am I not?" "We were both very naturally shocked," said I. "Vich feelin's, sir, does you both credit oceans.
The steps are very dark, but out of the darkness they can see the lanes of light they have traversed. Durdles seats himself upon a step. Mr. Jasper seats himself upon another. And yet, in talking, they turn to one another, as though their faces could commune together. 'This is good stuff, Mister Jarsper! 'It is very good stuff, I hope. I bought it on purpose.
Nay, indeed, it was rather as if the Pugilist had whispered the words into my ear, and I glanced round almost expecting to see him. "Arter that theer kidnappin', an' me 'avin' laid out Sir Jarsper Trent accordin' to yer orders!" But who was that man? Of him I knew two facts namely, that he was much like me in person, and had formerly worn, or possibly still wore, whiskers.
"Ah!" said Barnabas, beginning to frown. "My pal Jarsper bid me say as you was to keep yourself scarce till 'e's got 'is 'ooks on the guilty party, sir." "Ah!" said Barnabas, again, "and when does he intend to make the arrest?" "This here very night, sir." "Hum!" said Barnabas thoughtfully.
As he gathers himself up again into an upright position, or into a position as nearly upright as he ever maintains, he is again conscious of being watched by his companion. 'Well? says Jasper, smiling, 'are you quite ready? Pray don't hurry. 'Let me get my bundle right, Mister Jarsper, and I'm with you. As he ties it afresh, he is once more conscious that he is very narrowly observed.
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