“And now, you villain! what have you got to say for yourself, that I shall not have you committed to jail to-morrow on charge of assault with intent to kill?” angrily demanded Mr. Lyon.
“Oh, Marse Alick! I’m as much mortified at the mistake as ever I can be. Indeed, sir, I thought it was horse thieves, and I was duty bounden to ’fend the hosses, you know, sir,” pleaded Leo.
“Umph; well, you must be more careful another time, my man. Your mistake might have cost you your neck, you know.”
“’Deed, sir, I—if I had been so misfortunate as to hurt you I shouldn’t a cared that for my neck! I should a wanted to a’ hanged myself ’dout waitin’ for the judge to do it,” said the boy, so earnestly that he at once disarmed his master.
“Very well, I dare say you speak truly. And now let me have the key of the back door; I wish to get in the house and go to bed. Your mistress has shut up the place and retired. I suppose she has given up all thoughts of seeing me to-night. Where is the key?”
“Here it is, sir; shall I go on to the house with you?”
“No, there is no need. Oh, by the way—was not that Pina’s voice I heard speaking to you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And pray how comes she to be sleeping down here in the stable loft, when she should be in the house with her mistress? And now I think of it, how is your mistress?”
“Ah, purty much the same as usual, sir,” said Leo, trying to evade the ‘previous question.’