Levelled his deadly aim; their fatal hands
No second stroke intended.--MILTON.
"Hold! on your lives!" exclaimed Lyon Berners, rushing between the
opponents, and with swift hands striking up the pistol of Robert Munson,
and turning aside the musket of Farmer Nye. "Would you shed each
other's blood so recklessly? Here is some mistake. Farmer, whom did you
take us for?"
"Who did I take you for, is it? For that cornsarned band of robbers as
have been mislesting the country for miles round this month past."
"Robbers?"
"Yes, robbers! as has been tarryfying the whole country side ever since
Hollow Eve!"
"I never heard of them."
"May be you didn't, but I took you for them all the same."
"And aimed your musket at that lady! And might have shot her dead, had
not this brave man thrown himself before her, with a loaded pistol in
his hand, levelled at your heart."
"How did I know it was a lady? How could I see in this dim light? I took
her for one of you, and I took you all for robbers," said the farmer,
sulkily.
"Well, you see who we are now?"
"Yes; I see as you are my new lodgers. Though why you should be out here
at the stables after your beasts at this hour of the night, and wake me
up with a row; or should take my darter's side-saddle, and kill my
watch-dog, blame you, I don't see!" growled the farmer.
"Come, walk aside with me for a few minutes, and I will show you why,"
said Mr. Berners, soothingly laying his hand on the farmer's shoulder.
"Hands off, if you please! No! I don't think as I will walk aside with
you. You might do me a mischief."
"Bosh! you are armed, and I am unarmed. How can I harm you? Come, and I
will tell you something to your advantage," coaxed Mr. Berners.
Partly urged by curiosity and partly by interest, Farmer Nye reluctantly
consented to follow where Mr. Berners led him. When they had passed out
of hearing of the negroes Mr. Berners stopped, and turned to his host,
and said: "You know who we are?"
"I know you are my new lodgers--that's all I know about you."
"Yet you must have observed something out of the common about our
party?"
"Yes; I took notice as you and your wife must have been dreadful 'fraid
of being robbed and murdered on your journey, when you kept two men to
travel with you, and guard you all day long, and sleep outside of your
doors like watch-dogs all night long. Which me and my darter made it out
between us as you must have lots of money with you to make you so
cautious. And which, if we had known you was going to be so mistrustful
of us, we'd have seen you farther before we'd have took you in."