“Ten thousand demons!—Home?” burst forth Mr. Lyon.
“Ah Alick dear, no; don’t be so violent. There was no harm done. I wouldn’t even have mentioned the matter, only you asked me a question that I was bound to answer truthfully,” pleaded the gentle creature.
“How far did they follow you?”
“Only to the gate of the road leading through the woods to our house—”
“To our—” Here Alexander burst into an explosion of oaths and expletives that caused his wife to shudder with horror.
“Oh, Alick, Alick, don’t, dear! don’t! It is a sin! Oh, Alick, hush! You frighten me so!” she pleaded almost breathlessly, clinging to his arm.
“If I catch one of those villains I will blow his brains out. If I don’t, may the—” And here Alexander sealed his oath by invoking a terrible imprecation on his own soul if he failed to keep it.
“Oh, my love, my dear, don’t, don’t. Heaven will never forgive you!” wept Drusilla.
“Stop whimpering, you provoking little fool, and tell me. Did they attempt to follow you through the gate?”
“Yes, Alick, but they couldn’t do it, because Leo closed it and locked it—”