“Go around to Helen, and—take that gun,” she said authoritatively. “Leave Pete to me.”
“Leave him——?” Bill’s protest remained uncompleted.
“Do as I tell you—please.”
“But he’ll——”
Again Kate cut him short.
“Please!” She pointed in the direction of the house.
Bill was left with no alternative but to obey. He moved away, but his movements were grudging, and he looked back as he went, ready to hurl himself to Kate’s succor at the slightest sign.
Ten minutes later Kate entered the sitting room. Her handsome face was pale, and her eyes were shining. The spirit of the woman was stirred. There was no fear in her—only a sort of hard resentment that left her expression one of cold determination.
Helen ran to her at once. But, for perhaps the first time in her life, she encountered something in the nature of a rebuff. Kate looked straight into her sister’s eyes as she flung herself into a chair, and laid her loaded revolver upon the table.
“Tell me about it. Just the plain facts,” she said, and waited.