Deringham nodded. "Still, he had some provocation, and I think he was right. So far as I could follow the discussion, the other man meant to question his ability to dismiss him, with the pistol."
Alice Deringham said nothing further upon the subject until Alton joined them as they sat out on the verandah that night. "You are not pleased with me?" he said.
"There is nothing to warrant me telling you so, and I may have been mistaken," said the girl reflectively.
"No," said Alton, "that's the pity; but couldn't you remember just now and then that you are friends with me?"
"Things of this kind make it a little difficult," said Miss Deringham.
"Well," said Alton, "that machine cost me twelve months' grim self-denial, and the fellow broke it out of temper because I spoke to him."
"It was," said Miss Deringham, "sufficiently exasperating, but was the rest justifiable because you were a stronger or bolder man than him?"
Alton laughed a little. "You don't understand. I did it because I was afraid," said he. "Now if I hadn't been, I'd have backed that man right into the river without touching him."
The girl glanced at him and then lapsed into a ripple of laughter.
"I'm afraid I must give you up," said she.
Just then Deringham came into the verandah, and Alton turned towards him. "It's a little difficult to put it as I would like to, but I'm glad it was you. You know what I mean."