Cruel As The Grave

"Oh, Bob! if you could have delayed for a half hour, the ship would have

sailed, and I should have been free!" sighed Sybil.

"I did all I could to make a delay. I put laudanum in his coffee last

night. I was afraid to put in too much for fear of killing him, so I

suppose I didn't put in enough, for he laid wide awake all night."

"Ah, yes! that would be the effect of an under-dose of laudanum."

"Well then, Ma'am, I put back our watches a whole hour. But, bless you,

he didn't go by the watches, he went by the sun; and as soon as it was

light he was up, and he sent me down to order an early breakfast. And

then I got a chance to put laudanum in his coffee again, and this time I

overdid it and put in too much, for he tasted something wrong, and he

said it was vile stuff, and he wouldn't drink it! No, Miss--Ma'am, I

didn't neglect no means to let you get clean off. But you see it was no

go this time; and I had to help old Purley to arrest you. I'm glad you

didn't know me, hows'ever. And I would advise you not to know me at all

whenever old Purley is about. Keep dark, Miss Sybil, and I'll find a way

to get you off. I haven't been hiding and seeking and hunting among the

red-skins these eight years for nothing. Hish-sh! Here they come,"

whispered Bob Munson, creeping away to the other end of the room, and

putting himself on guard.

The elder officer unlocked the door, and entered, followed by Mr.

Berners. He announced that the wagon was at the door, and that they

were ready to start on the return journey. And then Purley gave his arm

to Sybil, and led her to the wagon, and placed her on the back seat,

while Mr. Berners and Bob Munson lingered behind, the former to gather

up Sybil's little personal effects, and the latter to settle the hotel

bill. But there was no opportunity, among the crowd of guests and

servants, for Munson to make his friendly intentions known to Mr.

Berners by any other means than a significant look and a pressure of the

hand, which Lyon Berners could not more than half understand. He felt,

however, that in his younger officer he and his unhappy wife had a

friend. They went out together, followed closely by the hostler, who

wanted his own fee; but both Mr. Berners and Bob Munson were too much

annoyed by his presence to feel like rewarding his attendance.

Lyon Berners mounted to the seat beside his wife, and Bob Munson to that

beside Purley, who held the reins. And in this manner they set out on

their return journey.