‘Not railed off, eh?’ said the voice of young Stebbing from among the crowd.
‘Well, it were marked with big stones where the rail should go,’ said another. ‘I know, for I laid ‘em myself; but there weren’t no orders given.’
‘There weren’t no stones either. Some one been and took ‘em away,’ added the first speaker.
‘I see how it is,’ Frank Stebbing’s metallic voice could plainly be heard, flavoured with an oath. ‘This is your neglect, White, droning, stuck-up sneak as you always were and will be! I shall report this. Damage to property, and maybe life, all along of your confounded idleness.’
And there were worse imprecations, which made Miss Mohun break out in a tone of shocked reproof—
‘Mr. Stebbing!’
‘I beg your pardon, Miss Mohun; I was not aware of your presence—’
‘Nor of a Higher One,’ she could not help interposing, while he went on justifying himself.
‘It is the only way to speak to these fellows; and it is enough to drive one mad to see what comes of the neglect of a conceited young ass above his business. Life and property—’
‘But life is safe, is it not?’ she interrupted with a shudder.