“Well?”
“And then he pulled out a pistol and threatened me.”
“What made you grip him?” said the vicar, using the young man’s words.
“He—he spoke again’ her,” said Tom, hoarsely; and as he spoke the veins in his forehead swelled, and an angry frown came upon his countenance.
“Then you went to the house to warn Richard Glaire of his danger, and he—”
“Threatened me, and said it was a trap I was laying,” said Tom.
“And then you came to tell me he was in danger. And what for?”
Tom was silent for a few moments. Then glancing up in the clear firm face which seemed to demand an answer, he said, almost in a whisper:
“I couldn’t abear for him to be knocked about, if I could stop it.”
“For Daisy’s sake?”