The Purification of Mulfera
keeper, who will kindly accompany me to the store. I shall naturally require to see the inside of the safe, but otherwise our wants are very simple."
The outlaw ceased. There was no word in answer; a curious hush had fallen on the captive congregation.
"If there is a store-keeper," suggested Stingaree, "he'd better stand up."
But the accomplished Chaucer sat stark and staring.
"Up with you," whispered Carmichael, in terrible tones, "or we're done!"
And even as the book-keeper rose tremulously to his feet, a strange and stealthy figure, the cynosure of all eyes but the bushrangers' for a long minute, reached the open end of the veranda; and with a final spring, a tall man in silk pyjamas, his gray beard flying over either shoulder, hurled himself upon both bushrangers at once. With outspread fingers he clutched the scruff of each neck at the self-same second, crash came the two heads together, and over went the table with the three men over it.
Shots were fired in the struggle on the ground, happily without effect. Stingaree had his shooting hand mangled by one blow with a chair whirled from a height. Carmichael got his heel with a
183
