Here the wintry wind searched
them and their dripping clothes stiffened quickly. Orloff dragged
the strips from his face, and as the sun glitter pierced his eyes he
writhed as though seared by the naked touch of hot steel.
He shouted affrightedly in his blindness, but the mocking voice of
Big George answered him and he cowered at the malevolence in the
words.
"Here I am, Orloff. It's help ye want, is it? I'll shoot the man
that tries to reach ye. Ha, ha! You're freezin' eh? Georgie will
talk to keep ye awake. A dirty trick of the river to cheat me so.
I've fattened for years on the hope of stampin' your life out and now
it's robbed me. But I'll stick till ye're safe in Hell."
The man cried piteously, turning his bleared eyes toward the sound.
"Shoot, why don't you, and end it? Can't you see we're freezing?"
He stood up in his carapace of stiffened clothes, shivering palsiedly.
"The truest thing ye ever said," cried George, and he swung his colts
into view. "It'll favour you and I'll keep my vow.
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