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"Coh the underbrush and vines alongside the ravine, as rays of the sun strea overhead Mattheas thinking furiously while watching the thicket on the far side Crossing by way of that tree would be precarious for hie could be found across, but how far ht maybe they both could sit on the trunk and pull theo slowly as slowly as it took But if this was the place, then Slaughter had to be soht now The longer it took to cross, the longer either one of thehter&039;s pistol, and he knehich one of them would be the first man shot

Walker knew also "Here," he said wearily "Letposition on the ground, leaning against the oak near its base where the gnarled roots had burst forth

"My bow My quiver," Walker said "Put them next to me"

Matthew did as he asked, and then he knelt beside the Indian "Can I " He had to stop, and begin again "Can I do anything for youi"

"You can go on Quickly With great care, Matthew With eyes always open in all directions"

"all right," Matthew said

"Hear ed husk of Walker&039;s voice; he was a valiant brave, right to the end "I will die but I shall not perish I charge you to be e tell ht have been insane but I was a true son" His bloody hand came up and pressed Matthew&039;s arm "Will youi"

Matthew nodded "I will," he answered

Walker gave a half-sain, as if he&039;d re vitally important "Do you want the watch backi"

"Oh, what a sad and stirring sight!" ca voice, from the other side of the ravine

Matthew felt Walker&039;s hand fall away frohter, who had e his pistol; in the hand sinister was gripped the cord he had made from Faith&039;s apron, which served to bind the woe he had also cut from the cloth was tied around his head, and Matthew noted with satisfaction the dark splotch of blood on the left side just above the ear, which was itself crusted with gore Slaughter kept the women in front of hihter&039;s clothing had iray shirt and a beige coat The strap of a brown canvas haversack slung diagonally across his chest He knehose boots were on the killer&039;s feet

"That red bastard got ht as rain in a few days" He grinned, showing a er now that he was clean-shaven "Matthew, Matthew, Matthew!" He ue and rested the pistol&039;s barrel on Lark&039;s shoulder "Keep that gun down by your side, now Don&039;t touch the striker Tellto do with youi"

Matthew made a quick examination of Lark and Faith, who stood tethered by the killer&039;s cord Faith had left this world; she stood with her face downcast, her hair in her eyes Herin her mind over and over some moment of childhood that sustained her even on this blackLike a child, also, she looked to have tripped and fallen on their journey here, for her nose and chin were both skinned and bloodied and dead leaves clung to the front of her dress

Lark&039;s eyes, though swollen red and surrounded by dark hollows, still held the shine of intelligence She had been recently slapped, for a handprint showed on her left cheek Matthe the vivid scratches where Slaughter&039;s fingernails had caught her She stared silently across the divide at him, and lifted her chin as a way to tell him she was yet all there in the hter&039;s pistol aiun, untie the ladies, crawl across this oak like the slug you are and give yourself up, for I a you in the name of New York, both town and colony, the Queen&039;s Constable, the Queen herself, and the country of England How does that soundi"

His intention had been for Slaughter to lose his te, and take a shot; the distance between the at the oak&039;s roots-would severely test the flintlock&039;s accuracy, and Matthew thought that if push caet off his own prayerful shot and scrahter could reload He hoped

But alas, it was not to be Slaughter just laughed; the slow tolling of funeral bells freighted the air "You are worthy," he said, when his laughter was done He didn&039;t say worthy of what, but Matthew suspected heexecution

"Larki" Matthew spoke to the girl, but kept his eyes on Slaughter&039;s trigger finger "are you all righti"

"Never been better," Slaughter said "a little piece of custard pie, this one is" His arm moved, and now the pistol&039;s barrel played with her locks of blonde hair "Want the leftoversi"

Matthew felt the slow boil of rage in his guts Taunting ht as Walker had said, You know him well I think he must know you well, too

"Matthewi" Lark&039;s voice was steady; she had not given up, she had not broken She was, he thought, an incredibly strong girl If they got out of this, he would take both of them to New York, find care for her mother and whati Somehow erase all this horror from Lark&039;s mindi "I want you to know," she went on, "that I hter interrupted "Is he deadi"

Matthew looked down at Walker The Indian laya trickle of blood had leaked from his hter said

Matthew stared across at the othersir"

"I&039; smile "I&039;m surprised at you! a stalwart soldier, afraid of a dead Indiani He was rainsack"

Slaughter paused; he worked his tongue in and out of his cheeks, and then he said brightly, "Leave hiive a shit The business at hand, Matthew, concerns your co across that tree When you set foot on this side, and I blow your brains out, the two little squats go free My word of honor and as I told you, I never lie to men who are not fools You, sir, have proven yourself to be no fool Stupid, yes, but a fool no Therefore, I do not lie"

"I appreciate the co no fool, I should have to ask afterwill they reain "Ouch! You&039;re hter," Matthew told hio You know I&039; hard at this presumption that he would still be alive in the next few ive yourself up, here and now, I pro noose doesn&039;t cause hter had nearly roared it, ive a arland of red roses upon ravei" His face had also blooan to appear at his nostrils In his rage he had swollen up again, all huge shoulders and massive monster&039;s chest, spittle upon his lips and the red lamp of murder in the pond-ice eyes "You idiot! You charlatan of a constable! What can you promise mei"

Mattheas silent until the tirade had passed Then he said, "I promise that I will endeavor to buy you a title before you are hanged, and that it will be so marked on your stone" Katherine Herrald would have special connections; hter&039;s face froze, his an to thaw "Well said," he allowed "The one thing I so devoutly wish, given to i and possibly marked on a black brick at the ass-end of Hammer&039;s alleyi Oh but it&039;s impossible, Matthew, bless your heart; you see, even if I was fool enough to give myself up, as you put it, I wouldn&039;t live to cross the atlantic"

"and why ht that bei"

"I have," he said, "a very strict employer"

Matthened, puzzled by that statehter thuainst the side of Lark&039;s head

"You will throw your gun over," Slaughter directed, staring cold-eyed and re sir, or I shall have to scorch some blonde hair"

Matthew had no doubt it would be done Though Slaughter couldn&039;t reload again before Matthew got across the log, that would be no help for Lark His bullpup was useless at this range He could refuse and then whati No, he had to get closer to Slaughter Try to un into the ravine

"The shooter&039;s bag, too Let&039;s not be hiding anything I don&039;t know about" When it was gone, Slaughter lowered the gun but kept it aiirl "Sensible Noe shall see what sort of a true-blue knight you really are Coood lad"

"Matthew!" Lark called, but he didn&039;t look at her

"Hush," Slaughter said "Let him do what heon it, began to slide hi way down, upon the treacherous rocks His throat was dry; hislike a bellohile his ure how to save their lives If he could ot too ht just have to leap at Slaughter and take his chances that the ball would not kill hilishman, time did not stop nor stand still "a little faster, if you please," Slaughter said "Don&039;t ive you a fresh pair with your name sewn across the bum, I&039;m sure"

Onward Matthew pushed his were dangling over He thought how much he&039;d hate it if he lost one of his moccasins The sweat had beaded on his face; it ran in rivulets under his shirt

"I will ht in the back of the head Candle snuffed, the end I&039;ll do the same for them as well"

"Matthew!" Lark called, and when he looked at her he saw she had grasped her leamed in her eyes Madnessi Deter all right," Slaughter replied "He&039;s trying to think how to get out of this Can&039;t you see his eyes going &039;round and &039;roundi" He moved out from behind the women and motioned with the pistol&039;s barrel "Come, come!"

"My mother and I are already dead, Matthew," said Lark and of Faith she asked the question, "Do you believe in Godi"

Yes, Moined iti

"Do you believe that we need fear no darkness, for He lights our wayi"

Yes, Mohter said

"Do you believe in the promise of Heaveni" Lark asked

Did Faith answer, or noti Yes, Mo, sure hter&039;s hand

Making a leap forward, Lark threw herself and her e

They fell silently

Matthe them hit the rocks like two dolls all dressed up in lace

He had a shout in his throat, but it lodged there like a stone His eyes filled with tears

Slaughter peered over the edge He scratched his chin with the pistol&039;s barrel

"Woun in a two-handed grip, held it at arer