"La!" she fumed, "I'll swear that had Mr.Wilding overheard what you have said to your sister, you would have little to fear from his sword.

A cane would be the weapon he'd use on you." Richard's pale eyes flamed malevolently; a violent rage possessed him and flooded out his fear, for nothing can so goad a man as an offensive truth.

Ruth approached him again; again she took him by the arm, seeking to soothe his over-troubled spirit; but again he shook her off.

And then to save the situation came a servant from the house.

So lost in anger was all Richard's sense of decency that the mere supervention of the man would not have been enough to have silenced him could he have found adequate words in which to answer Mistress Horton.