'You ruffian!' They all started, and turning, observed Roland
standing by the mouth of the tunnel, whence he saw and heard all that
had passed. The two leading conspirators were simply speechless from
amazement and rage; and then Murfrey's eyes fell upon Nancy with a
dark look of suspicion. But the girl returned his look with one of
such innocent, enquiring wonder that he was at once satisfied she had
nothing to do with the thwarting.
The old woman seemed for a time to have lost the use of her faculties,
and she raved in the most incoherent fashion. Taking little heed of
their disappointment, Roland helped himself to many of the good things
upon the table, and retiring a little way he seated himself at
breakfast upon the dry turf. Before doing so he coolly drew from the
pocket at his hip one pistol, and from that at his breast another,
laying both beside him on the ground. With the knife in his girdle he
cut his bread and meat; and when his meal was ended, sharpened it,
most ostentatiously, on a stone near by, now and again giving a
glance, in which there was threat as well as defiance, towards Murfrey
and the Rev.
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