“Ah, but what did you say yourself just now?”
She was a vigorous creature, and terror lent her strength. She remained in possession of the dangerous implement.
“What did I say? I merely tried the effect of my most telling speech upon you—with fine result. If my public are as impressionable——”
Once more he stretched out his hand, but, leaping from him, the girl raised the pistol, aimed at the nearest bush, pulled the trigger, and fired.
As the reverberations died away she turned a face, drained of colour but triumphant, upon him.
“So much for your story, Mr. Actor!” cried she.
“Why, you’re too quick for me!” he answered, with a moody change, thrust his hands into his pockets, began to pace the dell backwards and forwards before her, kicking his hat each time he passed it.
She thought that he was no more than a boy, for all his manly growth, and her heart went out to him.
“Here, give me the pistol,” he said. “Tush, child, ’tis safe enough for the moment. We’ll be having the park-keeper upon us to see who’s been murdered. Let us look innocent.”
“Oh, oh,” she shuddered, “if I had not been there!”