"Looks like a cross between a lightning-bug and a grampy-long-shanks," observed the sheriff, his cheerfulness increased by the happy disposal of his troublesome prisoners. "Travelling on underpinning like that, he'll have his word in before daybreak."
But Pulaski Britt had not yet satisfied the curiosity that stirred as soon as greater matters had been settled. He ran after the warden, shouting an order to wait.
The little group heard the colloquy, for Lane did not stop, and the Honorable Pulaski had to bellow his question.
"Say, Lane, in case anything should happen to you! Ain't you going to let me do the square thing? If this girl is yours, say the word. I'll look after her. Is she yours?"
"No!" yelled the old man, with a fury in his tones like the rasp of a file on their flesh as they listened. And the next words seemed to be a cry wrung from him without his will: "If she were, I'd have killed you and Colin MacLeod before this!"
He went flitting down the slope of Jerusalem like a will-o'-the-wisp, and they stood in silence and watched him out of sight.
That night the tenantry of Jerusalem Knob divided itself silently and sullenly into groups which ignored each other.
Britt and his people took blankets from the fire station, and established makeshift camps down in the fringe of the trees.
Wade and Christopher Straight went apart, and composed themselves as best they could on some gray moss that tufted the ledge. Their duty was plain. That fire threatened Enchanted, once it should sweep through the chimney draught of Pogey Notch. They must stay there and fight it at the pass through which it was marching to invade their territory. Rodburd Ide promised to have the Enchanted crew following them within a week. It might be that their men were already on the way. Their route lay through Pogey, and Wade would be there ready to captain them.
The camp was left to the girl and her unkempt guardian. She sat silent and full of bitter rage; but she understood the vagaries of the fool's character well enough to realize that after Lane's orders to Abe even her persuasions could have no effect; the valley fires that lighted the windows of the camp gave effective point to Lane's commands. The giant crouched by the open door and gazed upon the sullen glowings in the vast pit below, muttering his fears to himself.