"Mr. Juxon!" The convict uttered a rough oath. "Your friend Mr. Juxon, eh? He is after me, is he? Tell him—"
"Hush, hush!" she whispered. "He has no idea you are here—"
"I should think not," muttered Walter. "He would not be sneaking in here on the sly to see you if he knew I were about!"
"What do you mean?" asked Mary. "Oh, Walter, let me go—you hurt me so!"
He held her fingers as in a vice.
"Hurt you! I wish I could strangle you and him too! Ha, you thought I was not looking this afternoon when he came! He went to the corner of the road with the parson, and when the parson was out of sight he came back! I saw you!"
"You saw nothing!" answered his wife desperately. "How can you say so! If you knew how kind he has been, what a loyal gentleman he is, you would not dare to say such things."
"You used to say I was a loyal gentleman, Mary," retorted the convict. "I daresay he is of the same stamp as I. Look here, Mary, if I catch this loyal gentleman coming here any more I will cut his throat—so look out!"
"You do not mean to say you are going to remain here any longer, in danger of your life?" said Mary in great alarm.
"Well—a man can only hang once. Give me some more of that bread and cheese, Mary. It was exceedingly good."
"Then let me go," said his wife, trembling with horror at the threat she had just heard.