“I’ve no time to be running to Yarmouth; and it’s a likely story anyway,” answered the man shortly.
None of them saw René get up and run toward the road, where he saw a man passing by; so when he now hurried across the sand as fast as his short legs could move, dragging his captive by the arm, they all looked up in astonishment.
“Hullo!” cried the newcomer, “what’s the matter here, Marvine?”
“The young fellow claims old Simon lent him the outfit. Did you ever hear—”
“Maybe he did,” interrupted the other man indifferently, his blue eyes roaming from one face to another. “Saw all these folks here yesterday with the old man and his daughter.”
“Did, eh? Well, maybe it’s as he says then,” letting go of Jack’s arm as he spoke. “How’d you happen to be stopping here?”
“The kid dragged me off the road saying someone was going to carry away his brother.”
“Well,” said the man called Marvine, turning to Jack and Desiré, “sorry to have bothered you. No harm meant. Was only looking out for Simon’s things.”
“Quite all right,” replied Jack. “I suppose you do have to be careful.”
The two strangers strode out to the road again without further farewell, and were soon lost to sight. Desiré sank down on the sand as if she could not stand another minute.