She paid no heed to this reproach, for what were those other things over there underneath the trees? Bras had pricked up his ears, and there was a strange excitement in his look and in his trembling frame.
"Deer!" she cried, with her eyes as fixed as were those of the dog beside her.
"Well," said her husband calmly, "what although they are deer?"
"But Bras—" she said; and with that she caught the leash with both her hands.
"Bras won't mind them if you keep him quiet. I suppose you can manage him better than I can. I wish we had brought a whip."
"I would rather let him kill every deer in the Park than touch him with a whip," said Sheila proudly.
"You fearful creature, you don't know what you say. That is high treason. If George Ranger heard you, he would have you hanged in front of the Star and Garter."
"Who is George Ranger?" said Sheila with an air, as if she had said, "Do you know that I am the daughter of the King of Borva, and whoever touches me will have to answer to my papa, who is not afraid of any George Ranger?"
"He is a great lord who hangs all persons who disturb the deer in this Park."
"But why do they not go away?" said Sheila impatiently. "I have never seen any deer so stupid. It is their own fault if they are disturbed: why do they remain so near to people and to houses?"