"There!" said Bill, impolitely dropping his burden upon a pile of straw
in the corner of the rather extensive cave at the end of the passage;
"wonder if the little fool is dead. She ought to be coming to by this
time."
"She's got her eyes wide open," uttered the raucous voice on the
opposite side; and Rosalie turned her eyes in that direction. She looked
for a full minute as if spellbound with terror, her gaze centred at the
most repulsive human face she ever had seen--the face of Davy's mother.
The woman was a giantess, a huge, hideous creature with the face of a
man, hairy and bloated. Her unkempt hair was grey almost to whiteness,
her teeth were snags, and her eyes were almost hidden beneath the shaggy
brow. There was a glare of brutal satisfaction in them that appalled the
girl.
For the first time since the adventure began her heart failed her, and
she shuddered perceptibly as her lids fell.
"What the h---- are you skeering her fer like that, ma," growled Davy.
"Don't look at her like that, or--"
"See here, my boy, don't talk like that to me if you don't want me to
kick your head off right where you stand. I'm your mother, Davy, an'--"
"That'll do. This ain't no time to chew the rag," muttered Sam. "We're
done fer. Get us something to eat an' something to drink, old woman;
give the girl a nifter, too.
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