“I’m not too old to ride, sir. I—I—” he started up with his lip quivering. “Here! here! sit down, Crellock. Confound you, sir, I never met with such a scoundrel in all my life!”
Crellock looked at him curiously, and then, throwing the bridle on the ground, he sat down, while Sir Gordon paced up and down in a quick, fidgety walk.
“Have you got anything more to say, sir?” he cried at last.
Crellock was silent for a few moments, and then, drawing a long breath, he said:
“How is Mrs Hallam, sir?”
“Dying,” said Sir Gordon, shortly. “It is a matter of days. Well, is that all?”
There was another interval before Crellock spoke.
“Will you take a message for me, sir, to those up yonder?”
“No!—Yes.”
The words would not come for some moments, and when they did come they were very husky.