Page:Lady Barbarity; a romance (IA ladybarbarityrom00snai).pdf/257

 horror seared me when his true intention was unmasked.

Suddenly, as he sat opposing Prue and me the other side of the little card-table, his right hand was shot across in the direction of my companion, and a pistol was exposed and rigidly presented within six inches of her face.

"Stir a muscle, Anthony Dare," says the Captain, "and you're dead."

I could almost feel the poor lad flinch under his heavy rouge. He said not a word, though, but only trembled and stared dumbly at the iron.

For myself I gave one look at these enemies, and then rose in a tempest of rage and pity.

"Man," I says, "are you mad? Anthony Dare? What do you mean?"

"A neat deception, an elegant deception," says the Captain, "and I give you my compliments upon it, madam; but now I think it's at an end. I'll confess 'tis pretty enough for boozy troopers; therefore, madam, again my compliments upon it."

My reply would have been a fury had he not silenced me with his glance.

"Hush, madam," says he, "unless you desire to have the house aroused. To spare you an exposure I have submitted to some inconvenience and run a certain risk by moving in the matter at this unseasonable hour, when broad daylight would be greater to my profit. For, believe me, I am beyond all things anxious to serve your interests so far as my duty will permit."