The man began to grow more and more cowed afore her cold, steady eyes, and the scorn in her voice.
"The strongest will win," he said.
"Yes," she answered him, "that's true without a doubt—so the cards showed."
"And what's stronger than money?" he axed.
"A man in a righteous rage," she replied; "and a charge of heavy shot with gunpowder behind 'em."
"Lord save us! You don't mean he'd lie in a hedge for me?"
"He'd do anything where his own promised woman was concerned," she said. "But 'tis more likely, from what I hear, that he'd meet you face to face in the open street, and hammer you to death for coming between him and her."
"She's my side."
"Now she may be, but wait till she sets eyes on him again. He's well knowed to be so handsome as Apollyon."
Peter Hacker got singing smaller and smaller then.