"If I had that woman's pluck I'd be a general before this thing is over," said Rodney, "I've always heard that a woman had more courage than a man and now I know it."
"Listen," repeated Tom, who had by this time taken his hands down from his ears.
There was no immediate response, for the party at the gate had looked for somebody else to answer their hail. Presently the same muffled voice inquired:
"Is Mr. Merrick to home?"
"He was a few minutes ago, but he is not in now," said his wife. "Have you any word to leave for him?"
"No, I don't reckon we have. We'll ketch—we'll see him some other time."
"Who shall I say called?"
"It don't matter. We're friends of his'n who wanted to see him on business. Goodnight."
"Good-night," replied Mrs. Merrick, as if her suspicions had not been roused in the slightest degree; and then she shut the door and came back into the kitchen. She was pale now and trembling; and Rodney made haste to offer her a chair while Tom poured out a glass of water.
"I told you they wouldn't hurt her," he found opportunity to say to Rodney. "But if Merrick had gone to the door he would have been full of buckshot now."