They seized upon the huge body and dragged it to the far end of the room, but despite their best efforts the two were not able to lift the great, inert mass of flesh and bone and muscle and pass it through the tiny opening.
“What shall we do?” cried Theriere.
“We must stay here with him,” replied Barbara Harding. “I could never desert the man who has fought so noble a fight for me while a breath of life remained in him.”
Theriere groaned.
“Nor I,” he said; “but you—he has given his life to save yours. Should you render his sacrifice of no avail now?”
“I cannot go alone,” she answered simply, “and I know that you will not leave him. There is no other way—we must stay.”
At this juncture the mucker opened his eyes.
“Who hit me?” he murmured. “Jes' show me de big stiff.” Theriere could not repress a smile. Barbara Harding again knelt beside the man.
“No one hit you, Mr. Byrne,” she said. “You were struck by a spear and are badly wounded.”
Billy Byrne opened his eyes a little wider, turning them until they
rested on the beautiful face of the girl so close to his.
“MR. Byrne!” he ejaculated in disgust. “Forget it. Wot do
youse tink I am, one of dose paper-collar dudes?”