King an arduous
enterprise.'
'Of course you may put it that way,' was the re-
ply; 'but, seriously, I once threw over a most
charming girl on learning quite accidentally that
she had suffered amputation of a toe. My conduct
was brutal if you like, but if I had married that girl
I should have been miserable for life and should
have made her so.'
'Whereas,' said Sancher, with a light laugh, 'by
marrying a gentleman of more liberal views she
escaped with a parted throat.'
'Ah, you know to whom I refer. Yes, she married
Manton, but I don't know about his liberality; I'm
not sure but he cut her throat because he discovered
that she lacked that excellent thing in woman, the
middle toe of the right foot.'
'Look at that chap!' said Rosser in a low voice,
his eyes fixed upon the stranger.
'That chap' was obviously listening intently to
the conversation.
'Damn his impudence!' muttered King--' what
ought we to do?'
'That's an easy one,' Rosser replied, rising. 'Sir,'
he continued, addressing the stranger, 'I think it
would be better if you would remove your chair to
the other end of the veranda. The presence of gentle-
men is evidently an unfamiliar situation to you.'
The man sprang to his feet and strode forward
with clenched hands, his face white with rage. All
were now standing. Sancher stepped between the
belligerents.
'You are hasty and unjust,' he said to Rosser;
'this gentleman has done nothing to deserve such
language.
Pages:
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182