“He’s a body snatcher! he’s a man hunter! he’s ev’rything mean an’ filthy!” exclaimed the girl, her face red and her eyes blazing. Her appearance was really most astonishing. Laura would never have believed that “Lonesome Liz” could display so much emotion.
“Let him bother this camp if he dares!” went on Liz. “He was told by that old gentleman to keep away from here, wasn’t he? Then let him run, for I ain’t a-goin’ to hold this dawg in much longer!”
It seemed that her threat would hold true. At every leap Barnacle made, he seemed about to tear the rope from her grasp.
“Missis!” yelled the sheriff to Mrs. Morse. “You’d better call that gal off––”
“She ain’t got nothin’ to do with it,” declared Liz. “I ain’t workin’ for her no more. I ain’t workin’ for nobody. I’ve struck, I have! You can’t hold nobody responserble but me an’ Barnacle.”
“The gal’s crazy!” squalled the sheriff, going rapidly backward, for the dog and Liz were advancing.
“Well, you won’t shet me up in no ’sylum,” declared Liz, grimly. “But ye may send me ter the penitentiary.”
“Did you ever hear the like?” gasped Lil, 203 clinging to Nellie and Jess. “That girl’s mad.”
“She is brave,” muttered Jess. “But—but I wonder what she’s up to?”
Laura did not question the maid-of-all-work. She thought she already knew. There was method in Lizzie’s madness, that was sure!