He had seen Jasper Tuite strike poor Irene when he was trying to drag her from her carriage to ride with him on his horse.

She was screaming, poor girl, and Jasper Tuite struck her on the mouth.

And what would my Luke do save spring on to Jasper Tuite and close with him?
And Jasper Tuite would have shot him if Luke had not fired in self-defence.
No jury would have convicted Luke, for Jasper Tuite died from heart-failure, not from the flesh-wound of Luke's pistol.

But if I had only been here when he stole here under cover of the darkness I would have made him hold his ground." "And he saw Miss Standish instead ?" "Yes, he saw Joan.

And she kept his messages all these years.