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"Murphy!"

That single word, hurled thus unexpectedly out of the black night,

startled hi half erect,

then as swiftly crouched behind a , utterly unable to articulate

In God's name, what human could be out there to call? He would have

sworn that there was not another white man within a radius of a hundred

miles For the instant his very blood ran cold; he appeared to shrivel

up

"Oh, come, Murphy; speak up, man; I know you're in here"

That terror of the unknown instantly vanished This was the fae of the world, and, however the fellow caurgling oath at his own folly,

Murphy's anger flared violently forth into disjointed speech, the

deadly gun yet clasped ready for instant action

"Who--the hell--are ye?" he blurted out

The visitor laughed, the bushes rustling as he pushed toward the sound

of the voice "It's all right, old boy Gave ye quite a scare, I

reckon"