Читать книгу Nameless River онлайн

29 страница из 59

“Well?” she said impatiently.

The man was young, scarce more than a boy, of a devil-may-care type, and he looked at her fearlessly.

“Here’s something for you, Boss,” he said grinning, as he handed her a soiled bit of paper.

It was thin, yellowed with age, and it seemed to have been roughly handled.

The mistress of Sky Line spread it out before her on the top of the dark wood desk.

“The Lord is the strength of my life,” she read, “of whom shall I be afraid? Though an host shall encamp against me, my heart shall not fear.”

It was unsigned and the characters, while hurriedly scrawled, were made by bold strokes, as if a strong heart had, indeed, inspired them, a strong hand penned them.

With a full-mouthed oath Kate Cathrew crumpled the bit of paper in her hand and flung it in the waste-basket against the wall.

“How did you get that?” she demanded.

“On the point of the knife you sent th’ girl,” he answered soberly, “an’ right near the middle of my stomach.”

For a considerable space of time the woman sat regarding him. “I sent you to help in the breaking of morale,” she said coldly, “not to bring me back defiance. Next time I’ll send a more trustworthy man.”