“There ain’t nothing to be afraid of, mother. Won’t you step round to the depot, and lend the doctor a helping hand with the young lady?” asked the man who had lighted the lamp, and who, in addition to his deep voice, had a thick moustache which hid the movement of his lips.
“I—I am a little hard of hearing, gentlemen,” faltered Mrs. Trip, in greater terror than ever. It was plain that she took them for robbers, and was in fear of her life.
“The poor old thing is stone deaf, Jim; whatever are we to do with her?” asked the man, with the big voice, turning to his companion who chanced to be clean shaven, and who spoke with a pronounced movement of his lips.
“I should sling her on my back, and carry her off by force. Doctor would be glad of her, no doubt.”
“No, no, don’t use force, gentlemen, I beg of you. I’ll do anything in reason that you want; but I haven’t got the key of the big shed, and my husband isn’t in just now,” wailed Mrs. Trip, in piteous tones, shaking worse than ever.
“Rum business, this, Jim; the old lady can understand what you say, though your voice ain’t bigger than a tin whistle, so to speak. But you’d better step forward and explain the situation a bit,” said the big man, retreating to the background.
Jim stepped forward, holding out his hand in a friendly fashion, while he spoke very slowly.
“Look here, missus; you’re Mrs. Trip, I suppose? Well, we’ve come along from Bratley with an engine and a freight-wagon to-night, because we had word there had been some idea of a robbery taking place. But it is a pretty mysterious bit of business so far, and we can’t get light on the subject nohows.”
“Hurry up, Jim; you’re taking as much time as a preacher who has got the whole evening before him,” growled the big man.
“I was bound to quiet her down a bit first; you can’t do nothing with women when their fears is uppermost,” retorted Jim, with a quick turn of his head. Then, facing Mrs. Trip again, he went on, “Miss Hamblyn has been a bit hurt. She has had a nasty fall or something. Could you step across to the office, and help doctor look after her a bit?”