The Little Red Foot. Chambers Robert William

walked with her to the kitchen porch, and knocked softly on the kitchen door.

      After a while I could hear a stirring within, voices, steps.

      "Nicholas! Pontioch! Flora!" I called in guarded tones.

      Presently I heard Flora's voice inquiring timidly who I might be.

      "Mr. Drogue is arrived to await her ladyship's commands," said I.

      At that the bolts slid and the door creaked open. Black Flora stood there in her yellow night shift, rolling enormous eyes at me, and behind her I saw Colas with a lighted dip, gaping to see me enter with a strange woman.

      "Is your mistress here?" I demanded.

      "Yassuh," answered Flora, "mah lady done gone to baid, suh."

      "Who else is here? Mistress Swift?"

      "Yassuh."

      "Is there a spare bed?"

      Flora rolled suspicious eyes at the Scotch girl, but thought there was a bed in Sir William's old gun room.

      I waited until the black wench had made sure, then bade Colas look to my mare, said a curt good-night to Penelope Grant, and went out to unroll my blanket on the front porch.

      When I whistled softly Nick came across the garden from the well.

      "Lady Johnson is here," said I. "Yonder lies my blanket. I stand first watch. Go you and sleep now while you can – "

      "Sleep first, John. I am not weary – "

      "Remember I am your officer, Nick!"

      "Oh, hell!" quoth he. "That does not awe me, John. What awes me in you is your kindness – and to remember that your ancestors wore their gold rings upon their fingers."

      I passed my arm about his shoulders, then released him and went slowly over to the well. And here I primed my rifle with bright, dry powder, shouldered it, and began to walk my post at a brisk pace to cheat the sleep which meddled with my heavy eyes and set me yawning till my young jaws crackled.