The groans uttered by the two fallen men confirmed her statement.
CHAPTER XXI.
ON THE STEAMER ROCK ISLAND.
The horse thieves struggled to their feet, and stood apprehensively, but defiant, facing the old man who eyed them with stern and threatening glances. They were too much disabled to think of escaping.
“Why, you poor contemptible hoss thieves!” ejaculated Peters, “what have you got to say for yourselves?”
The two men looked at each other, but the right words did not seem to occur to them, for they remained silent.
“Serves you right to be tripped up by a woman! You ain’t men, you’re sneaks!”
The thieves turned their eyes toward Mrs. Peters, who, tall and gaunt, stood looking on with her thin gray hair floating down her back.
“She ain’t a woman! She’s a witch!” said one of them bitterly.