"I beg ten thousand pardons for being constrained to contradict you, but--we are not."
"I say we are." Again the only response was a movement of Mr. Townsend's shoulders. "Take hold of the gun."
Mr. Haines endeavoured to thrust one of the revolvers into Mr. Townsend's hand.
"Not I."
"Take hold of the gun!"
Mr. Haines, on Mr. Townsend's betraying an inclination to remove himself from too near neighbourhood, caught him by the shoulder.
"Remove your hand, sir. I have no objection to your shooting me. But to your touching me while I am still alive I have."
"You hearken to what I say, young man. Take hold of this gun!"
Mr. Haines endeavoured to subject Mr. Townsend to what, in the nursery, is called a shaking.
"If you attempt to do that again, Mr. Haines, I shall be under the disagreeable necessity of knocking you down--before the shooting."