Page:Frederick Faust--Free Range Lanning.djvu/57

Rh But the girl caught his arm, whispering: "Hide there in the closet—among my clothes. Quickly! They—they won't dare come in here!"

"There's men coming who'll dare a lot more than that. But they don't matter. It's as well here as the next place."

"You mean you're not going to try to get away?"

"Maybe that. Don't you see that I'm happy, Anne Withero?"

"You're not afraid?"

"I'm plumb froze with fear, but with happiness, too."

Looking past him, she saw the knob of the door turn slightly, slowly. She caught her breath.

"There's still time. You can get out that window onto the top of the roof below, then a drop to the ground. But hurry before they think to guard that way!"

"Confound them and the ways they guard! One minute more of you and me and God, Anne."

"You're throwing yourself away!"

"Stand there like that. With your head high. You're beautiful, Anne. And this is worth dyin' for!"

His voice shook her. It was as if she were sobbing.

"Then go for my sake," she pleaded.

"I'll go for one thing."

"Name it! Name it!"

She began to wring her hands, and the lamplight caught at her head and she was covered to the waist with the ripples of her red-gold hair. Fear had whitened her lips, but her eyes were glorious.

"When you know they've blown me to the four winds, will you say this thing to yourself: 'He was no good, but he loved me.' Will you say that?"

"I will! I promise you I will!" She was dragging him toward the window.