"Stop there!" he shouted, as he saw Cap.
She obeyed, and he sprang from his horse with the agility of youth, and helped her to descend from hers.
Then drawing her arm within his own, he led her into the parlor, and, putting an unusual restraint upon himself, he ordered her to tell him all about the affair.
Cap sat down and gave him the whole history from beginning to end.
Old Hurricane could not sit still to hear. He strode up and down the room, striking his stick upon the floor, and uttering inarticulate sounds of rage and defiance.
When Cap had finished her story he suddenly stopped before her, brought down the point of his stick with a resounding thump upon the floor and exclaimed:
"Demmy, you New York newsboy! Will you never be a woman? Why the demon didn't you tell me, sirrah? I would have called the fellow out and chastised him to your heart's content! Hang it, miss, answer me and say!"
"Because you are on the invalid list and I am in sound condition and capable of taking my own part!" said Cap.
"Then, answer me this, while you were taking your own part, why the foul fiend didn't you pepper him with something sharper than dried peas?"
"I think he is quite as severely punished in suffering from extreme terror and intense mortification and public ridicule," said Cap.