Page:Soldiers Three - Kipling (1890).djvu/94

 That's quare,' sez O' Hara, 'for the front av my jackut is black wid your powther.' He tuk up the rifle that was stili warm an' began to laugh. 'I'll make your life Hell to you,' sez he, 'for attempted murdher an' kapin' your rifle onproperly. You'll be hanged first an' thin put undher stoppages for four fifteen. The rifle's done for,' sez he.

Why, 'tis my rifle!' sez I, comin' up to look; 'Vulmea ye divil, fwhat were you doin' wid her—answer me that?'

Lave me alone,' sez Vulmea; 'I'm dyin'!'

I'll wait till you're betther,' sez I, 'an' thin we two will talk ut out umbrageous.'

"O'Hara pitched Tim into the oolie, none too tinder, but all the bhoys kep' by their cots, which was not the sign av' innocint men. I was huntin' ivrywhere for my fallin'-block, but not findin' ut at all. I niver found ut.

Now fwhat will I do?' sez O'Hara, swingin' the verandah light in his hand an' lookin' down the room. I had hate an' contimpt av O'Hara an' I have now, dead tho' he is, but, for all that, will I say he was a brave man. He is baskin' in Purgathory this tide, but I wish he cud hear that, whin he stud lookin' down the room an' the bhoys shivered before the oi av him, I knew him for a brave man an' I liked him so.

Fwhat will I do?' sez O'Hara agin, an' we heard the voice av a woman low an' sof' in the verandah. 'Twas Slimmy's wife, come over at the shot, sittin' on wan av the benches an' scarce able to walk.

Oh Denny—Denny dear,' sez she, 'have they kilt you?'

"O'Hara looked down the room again an' showed his teeth to the gum. Then he spat on the flure.

You're not worth ut,' sez he. 'Light that lamp, ye dogs,' an' wid that he turned away, an' I saw him walkin' off wid Slimmy's wife; she thryin' to wipe off the powther-black on the front av his jackut wid her handkerchief. 'A brave man you are,' thinks I—'a brave man an' a bad woman.'

"No wan said a word for a time. They was all ashamed past spache.