“You will be perfectly secure here,” he said, soothingly, “and can remain as long as you please. Mrs. Murphy will guard you as though you were her own daughter. She is a bit rough, maybe, but a big-hearted woman, and despises Hawley. She nursed me once through a touch of typhoid--yes, by Jove,” glancing about in sudden recognition, “and in this very room, too.”
The girl's glance wandered over the plain, neat furnishings, and the rather pathetic attempts at decoration, yet with apparently no thought for them.
“You--you have not told me where you were going.”
He laughed, a little uneasily, as though he preferred to make light of the whole matter.
“Really, I have hardly decided, the world is so wide, and I had no reason to suppose you interested.”
“But I am interested,” resenting his tone of assumed indifference. “I would not want to feel that our acquaintance was to wholly end now.”
“Why should I not? You have been a real friend to me; I shall remember you always with a gratitude beyond words. I want you to know this, and that--that I shall ever wish to retain that friendship.”
Keith struggled with himself, doubtful of what he had best say, swayed by unfamiliar emotions.
“You may be sure I shall never forget,” he blurted forth, desperately, “and, if you really wish it, I'll certainly see you again.”
“Then, I'll surely find a way. I don't know now which direction we will ride, but I'm not going very far until I clear up that murder out yonder on the trail; that is my particular job just now.”
Before she could answer, Mrs. Murphy reëntered, and forced her to drink the concoction prepared, the girl accepting with smiling protest. The landlady, empty glass in hand, swept her eyes about the room.
“Bedad, but the place looks betther than iver Oi'd belaved, wid the gyurl Oi've got tindin' to it. She's that lazy she goes ter slape swapin' the flure. Jack, would ye moind hilpin' me move the bid; shure, it's rale mahogany, an' so heavy it breaks me back intoirely to push it 'round.”
He took hold willingly enough, and the two together ran the heavy contrivance across the room to the position selected. Once a leg caught in the rag carpet, and Keith lifted it out, bending low to get a firmer grip. Then he held out his hand to the girl.