“You’ll end in getting the sausage meat you call your brains blown out, some of these days, my fine fellow, if you don’t take care of yourself,” laughed the nameless gentleman.
“I’d like to know who’s going to do it!” swaggered Harpe.
“Some indignant husband or lover, of course.”
“Let ’em try it,” crowed Harpe.
“I think, Hammond,” continued Captain Reding, “common gallantry required you to try your fortune with that young lady.”
“I wish, Reding, that you would drop the subject here,” said Dick.
“As she never took the least trouble to conceal her preference for you over Lyon, I do not see why we may not discuss the subject here. Why, Dick, it was evident to everybody who saw you three together, that she loathed Lyon and liked you. The thing was clear, it was patent, it was flagrant, under the circumstances! Now, come, Dick, honor bright! Why didn’t you marry her?”
“I have answered that question already.”
“Humph! Well! we all thought you would certainly carry off the prize. Why, you were always following her, hovering over her, waiting on her, and even apparently making love to her, which, by the way, was not very consistent with your present declaration that you would be incapable of marrying another man’s betrothed.”
“Hear! hear! hear!” shouted young Harpe.