A Duel in the Desert
and saying his prayers in a way you'd never credit. Come and hear him."
"I must come and see him at once. Got a fresh horse in?"
"I have so! In and saddled in the stall. I thought you might want one, sir, and ran up Barmaid, Stingaree's own mare, that was sent out here from the station when we had the news."
"That was very thoughtful of you. You'll get on, young man. Now lead the way with that lamp."
This time Stingaree had spoken in gasps, like a man who had ridden very far, and the young constable, unlike his sergeant, did not know his voice of old. Yet it struck him at the last moment as more unlike the voice of Superintendent Cairns than the hardest riding should have made it, and with the key in the door of the cell the young fellow wheeled round and held the lamp on high. That instant he was felled to the floor, the lamp went down and out with a separate yet simultaneous crash, and Stingaree turned the key.
"Howie! Not a word—out you come!"
The burly ruffian crept forth with outstretched hands apart.
"What! Not even handcuffed?"
"No; turned over a new leaf the moment we left
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