"It's risky," Marmot whispered excitedly, interrupting him. "Ain't you heard? Ain't young Murray heard? Don't you know?"
"Know what?" Tony asked.
"Why, about—about Slaughter and the girl."
"Slaughter and the girl? What girl? You don't mean——" Tony, filled with admiration for Ailleen, the greater because it was suppressed, immediately became alert and suspicious.
"His sister," Marmot answered under his breath, jerking his head towards Murray.
Tony looked at him for a moment too surprised to speak. Then he burst out laughing.
"You have found out something this time," he said, in a bantering tone. "Who made up that fairy tale?"
"It's no fairy tale. It's true," Marmot answered. "There's Tommy Nuggan coming. Ask him about it, if you won't believe me."
Tony, as soon as the reasons for the procession and the direction of its route had been duly explained to and accepted by Nuggan, reined in his horse beside him, and, dismounting, walked with him.
"Marmot said you'd tell me all about the latest yarn from the verandah—about Slaughter," Tony said.