At that he lost what little self-control he had left. He lunged at the girl and knocked up the barrel of the gun just as Mary’s nerveless finger pulled the trigger.
The shot went wild. At the same moment the man was seized by the shoulder from behind and sent whirling into the bushes.
“You swine!” cried the raging voice of Layton Boardman. “Clear out of here before I use this gun on you in earnest!”
He caught the gun from Mary, but before he could raise it to his shoulder Lieberstein scuttled off into the shrubbery with all the fleetness of a frightened rabbit.
Boardman was laughing softly, but there was no merriment in his mirth.
“The scoundrel!” he gritted. “Wish I’d used the gun on him. Good mind to do it after all!”
He started forward toward the spot where Lieberstein disappeared. But Mary caught at his arm.
“Oh, let him go! Let him go!” she cried. “He won’t be back soon again. I—I think you taught him a lesson, Mr. Boardman!”
Ruth went over to Ellen, who was sobbing against the door frame and put an arm about her. Then she turned to the actor.
“It was lucky for us that you came just then, Mr. Boardman,” she said gravely. “Something pretty dreadful might have happened if you hadn’t.”