Part 20 (1/2)
”I think that you are very wonderful, Mr Byrne,” replied the girl ”Few h what you have today and been alive now”
The otta ht to make a swell joint to defend”
Weak as he was he searched about for sorasses which he threw in a pile beneath a stunted tree that greell back in the hollow
”Here's yer downy,” he said, with an attempt at jocularity ”Now you'd better hit de hay, fer youse irl ”I AM nearly dead”
So tired was she that she was asleep almost as soon as she had found a coave no thought to the strange position in which circumstance had placed her
The sun ell up the following irl awakened, and it was several e surroundings At first she thought that she was alone, but finally she discerned a giant figure standing at the opening which led froht of hiirl the terrible peril of her position--alone in the savage e island with the murderer of Billy Mallory--the beast that had kicked the unconscious Theriere in the face--the mucker who had insulted and threatened to strike her! She shuddered at the thought And then she recalled the man's other side, and for the life of her she could not tell whether to be afraid of hioverned hiood
Byrne turned She was shocked at the pallor of his haggard face
”Good ,” he said ”How did yeh sleep?”
”Oh, just splendidly, and you?” she replied
”So-so,” he answered
She looked at hily as he approached her
”Why I don't believe that you have slept at all,” she cried
”I didn't feel very sleepy,” he replied evasively
”You sat up all night on guard!” she exclaiht o' been shadowin' us--it wasn't safe to sleep,” he admitted; ”but I'll tear off a few dis mornin' after we find a feed of some kind”
”What can we find to eat here?” she asked
”Dis crick is full o' fish,” he explained, ”an' ef youse got a pin I guess we kin rig up a scheirl found a pin that he said would answer very nicely, and with a shoe lace for a line and a big locust as bait the le in the little ry thus early in the ht forth two splendid specimens
”I could eat a dozen of deain, until in twenty oodly rass beside him
With his pocketknife he cleaned and scaled the sticks through the bodies of his catch roasted them all They had neither salt, nor pepper, nor butter, nor any other viand than the fish, but it seeirl that never in her life had she tasted so palatable afish filled her nostrils that no food had passed her lips since the second day before--no wonder that the two ate ravenously, enjoying every mouthful of their repast
”An' now,” said Billy Byrne, ”I tink I'll poun' my ear fer a few You kin keep yer lamps peeled fer de chinks, an' de first fony noise youse hears, w'y be sure to wake rass, asleep alirl, to while away the time, explored their rock-bound haven She found that it had but a single h which the brook found outlet Beyond the entrance she did not venture, but through it she saw, beneath, a wooded slope, and twice deer passed quite close to her, stopping at the brook to drink
It was an ideal spot, one whose beauties appealed to her even under the harrowing conditions which had forced her to seek its precarious safety