isten. One of them girls at that place down the
station road was just talkin' to me. She's scared. She rung me up an'
Cameron. That dam' Englishman's gone out o' there bile drunk, swearin'
he'll cut San's heart out, the pup! He's gone off wavin' his knife. Now,
he knows the house, an' he ain't afraid of nothin'--when he's drunk. He
might get that far an' try breakin' in. You lock up--"

"Lock up? What with?" asked Rawling. "There's not a lock in the place.
Father never had them put in, and I haven't."

"Well, don't worry none. Ian's got out a dozen men or so with lights an'
guns, an' Bill's got his. You keep Bill an' Ling to sleep down-stairs.
Ian's got the men round the house by this. The hog'll make noise enough
to wake the dead."

"Nice, isn't it, Uncle Jim, having this whelp out gunning for San! I'll
keep the boys. Good-night," he said hastily as a shadow on the rug
engulfed his feet. The rattles spoke behind him.

"There's a big trouble sittin' on my soul," said Onnie. "Your Honor
knows there's nothing makes mortal flesh so wild mad as a whipping, an'
this dog does know the way of the house. Do you keep the agent's lads
to-night in this place with guns to hand. The snake's bells keep
ringin'."

"My God! Onnie, you're making me believe in your rattles! Listen.
Percival's gone out of that den down the road, swearin' he'll kill San.
He's drunk, and Cameron's got men out."

"That 'u'd be the why of the lanterns I was seein' down by the forge.
But it's black as the bowels of purgatory, your Honor, an' him a strong,
wicked devil, cruel an' angry. God destroy him! If he'd tread on a
poison snake! No night could be so black as his heart."

"Steady, Onnie!"

"I'm speakin' soft. Himself's not able to hear," she said, her eyes half
shut. She rocked slowly on the amazing feet. "Give me a pistol, your
Honor. I'll be for sleepin' outside his door this night."

"You'll go to bed and keep your door open. If you hear a sound, yell
like perdition. Send Bill in here. Say I want him. That's all. There's
no danger, Onnie; but I'm taking no chances."

"We'll take no chances, your Honor."

She turned away quietly, and Rawling shivered at this cool fury. The
rattles made his spine itch, and suddenly his valley seemed like a place
of demons. The lanterns circling on the lawn seemed like frail
glow-worms, incredibly useless, and he leaned on the window-pane
listening with fever to the rain.

"All right," said Bill when he had