“You would not have me incriminate them, sir?” she said quickly.
“There is no need, my lady,” I answered grimly. “For you forget that it requires but a word from me to arrest them on suspicion.”
“Then if I were you, sir,” she replied in a low voice, “I would be generous. The lion can well afford to spare the mouse.”
“True, madam,” I answered; “but when the mouse happens to stand six feet six, with a sword in due proportion, it behooves the lion to look well to his own safety!”
Again she smiled, but on a sudden her face became grave.
“I would not have any one suffer for what was, perhaps, a foolish trick,” she said. “I pray you, sir—if, indeed, you meditate retaliation for the annoyance caused you—let the punishment fall upon me.”
For a moment I stared at her without replying. The idea of any man punishing the lovely woman before me was well-nigh inconceivable.
“Reassure yourself, madam,” I said at length. “Your servants will take no injury at my hands. Only there must be no recurrence of such a trick. My troopers are rough, and for one at least of their number it has proved but a sorry jest.”
“Alas, poor man!” she answered.
“How, madam!” I cried incredulously. “You pity him?”