They stood back. Wild Jack spoke to them in a low tone, looking, as he did so, several times up at the sky as if to see how the time went; then advancing he opened the door of the coach, and unbinding the hands of the two ladies, offered to hand them in.
Betty demurred. "We have duties here first," she said, pointing to the inanimate form of poor Samuel Barnes.
"It is well then," said Wild Jack, just touching the prostrate man with the toe of his boot. "We will leave you now, with many apologies, madam, for our intrusion."
The others were already in the saddle and almost out of sight.
Wild Jack, who was about to mount, withdrew his foot from the stirrup and approached Betty once more.
"Go, go!" she said. "This poor man bleeds; ah, why do you not go?"
"I am gone," he answered. "But first, fair lady, in consideration of the booty I have resigned I demand a reward."
"What can I give you?"
He pointed to her hand, on one finger of which was a small gold ring in the form of a serpent with tiny ruby eyes.
"Give me that," he said somewhat imperiously.