The old hag’s eyes were on us as she drank in every word; and she nudged her husband and whispered to him.
“Don’t you mean to charge them with attempting your lives?” asked the chief.
“You have arrested me,” I returned, shortly.
“Tie those two together,” he said, turning to his assistant.
To get the cords the man had either to pass the woman or drive her before him to the end of the room. He tried the latter course and pushed her violently. She fell to the ground, and, letting out a yell shrill enough to wake a cataleptic, clasped his legs, and pulled him down; and in a moment, a noisy rough and tumble scuffle was set going between the three.
The chief ran to help his man, and I took advantage of the moment to open the door and put Volna outside.
“Stop there,” cried the chief, holding me up with his levelled revolver.
“I am merely putting my sister out of the way of trouble.”
“Move an inch and I shall fire,” he shouted.
But the words scarcely passed his lips before he came staggering wildly toward me; his arms went up and his pistol was fired in the air. The woman had in some way extricated herself from the struggle on the floor, and his back being turned to her as she rose, she pushed him violently toward me. I caught him and helped myself to his revolver.