'Nothing, I suppose. It doesn't matter now.' She shot the question at him suddenly: 'Why didn't you save her?'

'I couldn't. Pirrie had made up his mind. I would only have got myself shot as well.'

She said bitterly: 'You're the leader. Are you going to stand by and let people murder each other?'

He looked at her. His voice was cold. 'I thought my life was worth more to you and the children than Millicent's. I still think so, whether you agree or not.'

For a moment they faced each other in silence; then Arm came a step towards him, and he caught her. He heard her whisper:

'Darling, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean that.

But it's so terrible, and it goes on getting worse. To kill his wife, like that. . . What kind of a life is it going to be for us?'

'When we get to Blind Gill...'

'We shall still have Pirrie with us, shan't we? Oh, John, must we? Can't we - lose him somehow?'

He said gently: 'You're worrying too much. Pirrie is law-abiding enough. I think he had hated Millicent for years. There's been a lot of bloodshed recently, and I suppose it went to his head. It will be different in the valley. We shall have our own law and order. Pirrie will conform.'

'Will he?'

He stroked her arms. 'You,' he said. 'How is it now?

Not quite so bad?'

She shook her head. 'Not quite so bad. I suppose one gets used to everything, even memories.'

By seven o'clock they were all together, and ready to set out. The clouds which had come over the sky still showed gaps of blue, but they had spread far enough to the east to hide the sun.

'Weather less promising,' Roger said.

'We don't want it too hot,' John said. 'We have a

Death of Grass
titlepage.xhtml
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_000.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_001.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_002.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_003.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_004.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_005.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_006.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_007.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_008.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_009.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_010.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_011.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_012.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_013.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_014.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_015.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_016.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_017.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_018.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_019.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_020.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_021.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_022.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_023.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_024.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_025.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_026.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_027.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_028.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_029.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_030.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_031.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_032.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_033.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_034.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_035.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_036.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_037.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_038.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_039.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_040.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_041.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_042.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_043.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_044.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_045.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_046.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_047.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_048.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_049.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_050.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_051.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_052.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_053.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_054.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_055.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_056.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_057.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_058.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_059.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_060.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_061.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_062.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_063.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_064.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_065.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_066.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_067.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_068.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_069.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_070.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_071.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_072.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_073.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_074.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_075.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_076.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_077.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_078.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_079.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_080.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_081.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_082.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_083.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_084.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_085.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_086.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_087.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_088.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_089.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_090.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_091.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_092.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_093.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_094.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_095.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_096.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_097.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_098.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_099.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_100.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_101.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_102.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_103.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_104.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_105.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_106.html
OEBPS_Text_The_death_of_grass_split_107.html