“But I wasn’t here!”
“You were there. I saw you with the men, pretending to clean the gun, while I was yonder watching the sunset and waiting for an answer to a message I had sent in to your mother, sir, when, as you saw me come round the corner, you fired.”
“I did not, sir; for I was not there.”
“Ay, that’s true enough, sir,” said Ben, bitterly; “he warn’t here.”
“I don’t believe it,” cried Master Pawson, angrily, and his voice sounded like that of some angry woman. “It was a trick; and all this nonsense shall be put a stop to.”
“You can believe it or not, sir,” said Roy, growing calmer as the secretary waxed more angry.
“I shall speak to Lady Royland at once.”
“Do, sir. She is waiting to see you; she was telling me so when the gun went off.”
“Gun went off! And what business has a gun to go off here in this place?” cried the secretary, as he stood, now feeling himself all over and brushing the dust from off his velvet coat.
“Only got the wind of the gun, sir,” said the corporal, quietly.