Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/61

 reg'lar river girl, I could see that, and I told the folks up in Putney's Bend I bet you'd know more about Old Mississip' at the end the week than at the beginning. How came hit?"

"You're friendly?" Delia asked, absently, "I mean I can talk to you?"

"You sure can!" Mrs. Mahna declared, emphatically. "I don't know what happened, but that man who was in that cruiser was a mean scoundrel, I could see it by his face. Now, wa'n't he?"

"Yes—as mean as possible," the girl shook her head.

"Looks like you took care of yourself."

"The law did"

"The law?" Mrs. Mahna repeated, wonderingly. "Did any sheriff or such like take care of a river girl? I never heard the beat of that"

"Oh—this is the law!" Delia exclaimed, drawing her automatic.

"Ah-h!" Mrs. Mahna caught her breath. "That's the law! Sure! I might have knowed! There's no law to beat it on the river. So you killed him?"

"I don't know; he came aboard right there, up the gangplank and opened the door. I'd left them both unlocked, so I could run either way. He began to talk to me—I forget what he said, and I—and I"