Page:Mistress Madcap Surrenders (1926).pdf/197

 her mouth to keep from screaming, she crouched in terror. Listened.

"What's that?" she heard someone say.

A laugh barked out again. "What, Simpson—hast gotten woman's nerve? Why, 'tis the wind, fool!"

"I tell ye, Hawtree," Simpson's voice came back at the other angrily, "I will not have ye call me fool even in jest!"

The other laughed loudly. "In jest! Ho, that be good! A jest, indeed!"

There was a sullen silence—then, evidently cowed by the older man, Simpson could be heard smashing wood, muttering savagely.

"For firewood!" thought Mehitable sickly. "I wonder an it be!"

Spurred on by the awful thought, she went up the rest of the stairs at a bound and came abruptly into a room. Her circular glance took in the whole scene, even as her shaking hand slowly steadied and aimed her pistol at the two men on the farther side of the room.

"Gentlemen, ye are my prisoners!" she said. And almost laughed in their astonished faces.

It was Simpson who tried to reach the guns, thrown carelessly into a corner. Mehitable threatened him angrily with her pistol and he crouched back upon his heels. To the right of the door, facing her upon a ragged pallet, bound and gagged,