Page:Over the Sliprails - 1900.djvu/20

 been used by the leader of a search party who had just found the body. The driver stopped and then went on slowly.

“What’s up?” we asked. “What’s the trouble?”

“Oh, it’s all right,” said the driver.

“The publican’s wife is sick,” somebody said, “and he wants us to come quietly.”

The usual little slab and bark shanty was suggested in the gloom, with a big bark stable looming in the background. We climbed down like so many cripples. As soon as we began to feel our legs and be sure we had the right ones and the proper allowance of feet, we helped, as quietly as possible, to take the horses out and round to the stable.

“Is she very bad?” we asked the publican, showing as much concern as we could.

“Yes,” he said, in a subdued voice of a rough man who had spent several anxious, sleepless nights by the sick bed of a dear one. “But, God willing, I think we’ll pull her through.”

Thus encouraged we said, sympathetically: “We’re very sorry to trouble you, but I suppose we could manage to get a drink and a bit to eat?” “Well,” he said, “there’s nothing to eat in the house, and I’ve only got rum and milk. You can have that if you like.” One of the pilgrims broke out here.

“Well of all the pubs,” he began, “that I’ve ever—”

“Hush-sh-sh!” said the publican.

The pilgrim scowled and retired to the rear. You can’t express your feelings freely when there’s a woman dying close handy.