"How would you manage about the women folk?"
"Let 'em alone except they shrieked, and then I'd soon quieten 'em. I could wish to find the old chap asleep. If he waked, he'd be dangerous."
"Has he arms?"
"Firearms, allus—and allus loadened."
"Then you're a fool to stop us here. A shot would give the alarm. Moore would be on us before we could turn round. We should miss our main object."
"You might go on, I tell you. I'd engage Helstone alone."
A pause. One of the party dropped some weapon, which rang on the stone causeway. At this sound the rectory dog barked again furiously—fiercely.
"That spoils all!" said the voice. "He'll awake. A noise like that might rouse the dead. You did not say there was a dog. Damn you! Forward!"
Forward they went—tramp, tramp—with mustering, manifold, slow-filing tread. They were gone.
Shirley stood erect, looked over the wall, along the road.