"So you've found out whar dad is a-hidin'?" she said, her voice
tremulous with rage and scorn. N' ye air mean and sorry enough
to some hyeh 'n' tell me ye'll give him up to the law ef I don't
knuckle down 'n' do what ye wants me?
She paused a moment. Was her suspicion correct? Why did he not
speak? She did not really believe what she said. Could it be true?
Her nostrils quivered; she tried to speak again, but her voice was
choked with passion. With a sudden movement she snatched her
rifle from its place, and the steel flashed in the moonlight and
ceased in a shining line straight at the mountaineer's breast.
"Look hyeh, Sherd Raines," she said, in low, unsteady tones, " I
know you air religious, 'n' I know as how, when y'u give yer word,
you'll do what you say. Now, I want ye to hold up yer right hand
and sw'ar that you'll never tell a livin' soul that you know whar dad
is a-hidin'."
Raines did not turn his face, which was as emotionless as stone.
Air ye goin' to sw'ar? " she asked, with fierce impatience. Without
looking at her, he began to speak-very slowly:
"Do ye think I'm fool enough to try to gain yer good-will by
a-tellin' on yer dad? We were on the mountains, him 'n' me, we
seed you 'n' the furriner. Yer dad thought hit was a spy, 'n' he
whipped up his gun 'n' would 'a' shot him dead in his tracks ef I
hadn't hindered him.
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