There wasn't quite enough to provoke 'em to-day, I tell you. If you'd
had your way, you'd have spoilt the fun to come, and ruined us.'
'Dennis is quite right,' said Gashford, smoothly. 'He is perfectly
correct. Dennis has great knowledge of the world.'
'I ought to have, Muster Gashford, seeing what a many people I've helped
out of it, eh?' grinned the hangman, whispering the words behind his
hand.
The secretary laughed at this jest as much as Dennis could desire, and
when he had done, said, turning to Hugh:
'Dennis's policy was mine, as you may have observed. You saw, for
instance, how I fell when I was set upon. I made no resistance. I did
nothing to provoke an outbreak. Oh dear no!'
'No, by the Lord Harry!' cried Dennis with a noisy laugh, 'you went down
very quiet, Muster Gashford--and very flat besides. I thinks to myself
at the time "it's all up with Muster Gashford!" I never see a man lay
flatter nor more still--with the life in him--than you did to-day. He's
a rough 'un to play with, is that 'ere Papist, and that's the fact.'
The secretary's face, as Dennis roared with laughter, and turned his
wrinkled eyes on Hugh who did the like, might have furnished a study for
the devil's picture.
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