“He shall not annoy you again,” said I.
She was silent for a moment.
“Shall we find Captain Rudstone at the hotel?” she asked.
“I believe so,” I answered, hiding my annoyance at the question. “He made an abrupt departure, Miss Hatherton.”
“Perhaps he had good reasons,” she replied; and with that the matter dropped.
The rest of the distance was all too short for me. It was a novel thing that I, who had scarce spoken ten words to a woman before in my life, should be playing the gallant to as pretty a girl as could be found in Quebec. But she had put me quite at my ease, and mightily proud I felt when I gave her into the care of Madame Ragoul, though the thought that she was the promised bride of old Griffith Hawke seemed to bring a lump to my throat. I bade her good-by for the present in the upper hall of the house, and going downstairs, I sauntered into the room behind the bar. There sat Captain Rudstone, a glass of wine before him.
“You have just come?” said I.
“But a moment ago,” he answered coldly, and with a sour look. “What is the meaning of this strange affair, Mr. Carew?”
“I had to knock the impertinent rascal down,” I replied.
“I do not refer to that,” said he, with a grim smile. “I witnessed the whole trouble.”