"Are you mad?" cried she angrily; "would you give him the

opportunity I prevented? He was waiting there to--to shoot you,

I think!"

And, after we had gone on some little way, I spoke.

"Was that why you--came to meet me?"

"Yes."

"And--kept so close beside me."

"Yes."

"Ah, yes, to be sure!" said I, and walked on in silence; and now

I noticed that she kept as far from me as the path would allow.

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"Are you thinking me very--unmaidenly again, sir?"

"No," I answered; "no."

"You see, I had no other way. Had I told you that there was a

man hidden in the hedge you would have gone to look, and then

--something dreadful would have happened."

"How came you to know he was there?"

"Why, after I had prepared supper I climbed that steep path which

leads to the road and sat down upon the fallen tree that lies

there, to watch for you, and, as I sat there, I saw a man come

hurrying down the road."

"A very big man?"

"Yes, very tall he seemed, and, as I watched, he crept in behind

the hedge. While I was wondering at this, I heard your step on

the road, and you were whistling."

"And yet I seldom whistle."

"It was you--I knew your step."

"Did you, Charmian?"

"I do wish you would not interrupt, sir."

"I beg your pardon," said I humbly.

"And then I saw you coming, and the man saw you too, for he

crouched suddenly; I could only see him dimly in the shadow of

the hedge, but he looked murderous, and it seemed to me that if

you reached his hiding-place before I did--something terrible

would happen, and so--"

"You came to meet me."

"Yes."

"And walked close beside me, so that you were between me and the

shadow in the hedge?"

"Yes."

"And I thought--" I began, and stopped.

"Well, Peter?" Here she turned, and gave me a swift glance beneath

her lashes.

"--that it was because--you were--perhaps--rather glad to see

me." Charmian did not speak; indeed she was so very silent that

I would have given much to have seen her face just then, but the

light was very dim, as I have said, moreover she had turned her

shoulder towards me. "But I am grateful to you," I went on,

"very grateful, and--it was very brave of you!"




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