“My little love, a spy is the most dangerous character of the three. We may defend ourselves against robbers and murderers; but not against spies. The first are beasts of prey; but the last are venomous serpents—snakes in the grass. No one knows how long that infamous wretch has been lurking around our house, or how often he has been peeping in at our windows, or how much he has seen.”
“Dear Alick, we have only seen him three times.”
“But he may have seen us, three hundred times. Of course our eyes were not always on the window.”
“That is true; but, after all, what of it, Alick? He could not harm us by looking at us,” said the honest young creature, who knew she had nothing to hide.
“Ugh! if I had him under my feet, I would not leave a whole bone in his body!” cried the double-dealing man, who was conscious that he had a great deal to conceal.
“Well, never mind, Alick, dear. For my part, I am well content that the man got off, and you have no broken bones to account for. For, after all, he committed no great crime in looking in at a lighted window at night. Why, Alick, in walking through the streets of the city in the evening you and I used to do the same thing, only for the harmless pleasure of looking in to an interior, upon a pretty domestic picture of a family circle around their tea-table, or something of the sort. And this man might have had no worse purpose.”
“His purpose, whatever it might have been, should have cost him his life if I had caught him!” said Mr. Lyon, grimly.
“Then I am truly glad you did not catch him. Oh, be content, Alick, for you may be sure, now that the man has been seen and chased, he will never come to trouble us again!”
“I don’t know that he will. But he didn’t seem to dread being seen, however. It was his taunting laugh, you know, that drew my notice to him. He seemed to try to catch my eye by mocking my laugh. I think he had seen all he wished to see, and that this was to be his last visit; so he let his presence be known, to annoy us. Ah! if I ever find out who he is, he shall pay dearly for his frolic!” exclaimed Alick.
By this time they reached the house and entered it.