"Hullo, Jim Baker! So you're still in the land of the living?"
Mr Baker displayed something more than surliness in his reply.
"So are you, worse luck! What are you doing here? Didn't Mr Arnott tell me if I saw you on our land to let fly, and pepper you?"
"I was just telling Miss Arnott the story. Odd that you should come upon the scene as corroborating evidence."
"For two pins I'd let fly!"
"Now, Baker, don't be an idiot. Take care how you handle that gun, or there'll be trouble; your hands don't seem too steady. You don't want me to give you another thrashing, do you? Have you forgotten the last one I gave you?"
"Have I forgotten?" The man cursed his questioner with a vigour which was startling. "I'll never forget--trust me. I'll be even with you yet, trust me. By ---- if you say another word about it I'll let fly at you now!"
Up went the stock of the gun to the speaker's shoulder, the muzzle pointing direct at Mr Morice. That gentleman neither moved nor spoke; Miss Arnott did both.
"Baker, are you mad? Put down that gun. How dare you so misbehave yourself?"
The gun was lowered with evident reluctance.