Page:Arminell, a social romance (1896).djvu/382

 THE END OF A DELUSION.

remained motionless, with his gun raised, as it had been struck up by Patience Kite, for several minutes; then he slowly lowered it, and turned his face to her. The troubled expression which of late had passed over it at intervals returned. The jaw was no longer set, and the red spots of anger had faded from his cheeks. The momentary character of decision his face had assumed was gone, and now the lips trembled feebly.

"What was that you said?" he asked.

Patience laughed, and pointed to the crag.

"See," she exclaimed, "the gun has frightened the men; and there comes the policeman with your son over the down!" She laughed again. "How the fellows run! After all, men are cowards."

"What was that you said when I was about to fire?" asked the captain again.

"Said?—why, what is true. You wanted to rattle down his lordship's house, and killed him because he refused to allow it to be done; and now you object to having your own shaken down. But there, that is the way of men."

Saltren remained brooding in thought, with his eyes on the ground, and the end of the gun resting where his eyes fell.