“Jeemes, you is foolish in de haid,” spoke up Bandy-Legs.
“Indeed you are!” came in clear ringing tones from Helen as she waved her scimiter, the moonlight flashing on it. “This minute the whole county knows that Grantly is on fire and that all of you are here.”
“Oh, rats! Whatcher tryin’ ter give us?” from the scornful, incredulous leader.
“I am telling you what is so. As soon as I heard you in the yard and saw the light from the straw stack, I gave a hurry call and got the neighbors on the ’phone.”
“An’ what was you an’ the young man a-doin’ of in Grantly?” sneered James, coming up quite close to Helen. “Looks like whin Miss Ellanlouise is to the ball, it’s a strange place——” but James was not allowed to finish what he had to say. Dr. Wright’s powerful fist shot out and the darky received a scientifically dealt blow square on his jaw bone that sent him backwards down the steps, where he lay in a huddled heap and like the Heathen Chinee:
“Subsequent proceedings interested him no more”—at least, not for a while.
Their leader down and out, the crowd began to melt away, but in a tone that commanded instant obedience George Wright bade them to halt.
“Listen, you fools! If one of you budges from this spot until I give him permission I will lick him to within an inch of his life. Miss Ella Grant had a fainting spell and could not go to the ball, and Miss Carter and I came over here from Weston when her sister telephoned us the trouble she was in. We were just leaving the house when you arrived.”
“Is Miss Ellanlouise in dar now?” asked a trembling old man.