But to get any information out of the old woman was not so easy. She was very deaf, and much scared, and held up her hands as if supplicating them not to kill her.
“We will not harm you,” shouted Gilbert into her ear.
“I am poor!” she replied. “Poor! poor! poor!”
“Tell me what road this is,” he fairly bawled.
“I am poor and old! Do not slay me, kind sirs!”
“What road is this?” he shouted. “What road?” And he pointed up and down the highway.
“The road? It is the road to An-Ping and Liao-Yang.”
“And where does it lead to in the other direction?”
“To the village of Shan-gow, just across the bridge.”
“Shan-gow!” cried the young captain. “Is that the Shan-gow bridge?”