The little tricks of tone and gesture one used to overawe young girls would not frighten a man.

For all that, when she first spoke there was a hint of fear in his furtive eyes.
Agatha let this go, and pondered her own feelings and the part she had played.

She had, of course, been frightened, but had preserved her judgment and seen that she could control the situation so long as she kept cool.

The man had not a pistol, and she could have fired three or four shots before he could seize her; but he might have tried to seize her had she not shown that she was ready to shoot.

It looked as if she had the nerve and confidence to face a crisis, which was satisfactory, since she would need these qualities when she traveled through the wilds.