By Jove, this was a little too much, even for an easy-going chap like myself! The jolly worm will turn, you know.
Dash me, before I knew what I was doing even, I had moved to his side and jerked the ruby from his hand. My face felt like a hot-water bottle as I did it.
"You haven't got it yet," I said, "and I'll take devilish good care you don't get it."
He fell back as though from a blow.
"Why—why, old chap! Why, Lightnut!" he gasped. "What's the matter—what makes you look at me like that?"
"Your liberties have gone just a bit too far, don't you know," I said, looking steadily in his fishy old eye. "I've had enough of you, by Jove, that's all!"
He stared at me, and I could hear him breathing like a blacksmith's bellows. I would never have thought he had such lungs.
Slowly his hand came out, and dash me if it wasn't shaking like he had the delirium what's-its-name. But for his tan, his face would have been as white as his hypocritical old whiskers.
"Is this some infernal joke?" His face summoned a sickly smile that almost instantly faded. His hand fell back to his side. "Why, old fellow, you don't think that way about me, do you? As for the ruby, I—I don't want it now—I just want you to accept my apology for anything I've done, and—and let me get away."
There was a short laugh from the doorway.