A child might scatheless stroke his brow.
I shouldn’t like to be the child, though,” he added, meditatively, with a backward glance at the object of his remarks, who indeed did present a very “dissolving view.”
The tone and manner of his speaking showed how much, within the last few weeks, the relations of the two had altered: the scale was already wavering, and ere long might be foretold a change in the balance of power.
His beautiful companion shook her head till the soft curling plumes that nestled round her hat danced again; but the effect of the reproving gesture was quite spoilt by the laugh that followed it, suppressed though clear as a silver bell.
“I will not be made an accomplice in your irreverent comparisons; I don’t admit the resemblance; if there were one, it was too bad of ‘the pikemen’ not to be more considerate. You always try to impute malicious motives to the most innocent. How could I guess that Mr. Fullarton would suffer so for his devotion to my interests? I will give you back your quotation in kind. See! if I were as mischievous as you insinuate—
My loss may pay my folly’s tax;
I’ve broke my trusty battle-axe.”
The ivory handle of her parasol (the same that had been rescued from Duchesne) chanced to be entangled in the bridle when the mule stumbled, and the jerk snapped the frail shaft in two. Keene took the fragment from her, and looked at it for an instant.
“Poor thing!” he said compassionately; “so it was fated to be short-lived? It was hardly worth while saving it from the wrath of the sinner, if it was to be sacrificed so soon to the awkwardness of the saint.” 45
“Not at all,” Cecil replied. “It was my fault, for being so heedless. But I can not afford another misadventure to-day. Will you take great care of me?”