Kitty, every muscle in her body tense, jumped convulsively, with the result that her finger pressed automatically the trigger of her pistol.

The fan popped out gayly.
Hawksley stared at the fan, quite as astonished as Kitty.

Then he broke into low, rollicking laughter, which Kitty, because her basic corpuscle was Irish, perforce had to join.

For all her laughter she retreated, furious and alarmed.
"Fancy! I say, now, you're jolly plucky to face a scoundrel like me with that." "I don't just know what to make of you," said Kitty, irresolutely, flinging the fan into a corner.
"You have revivified a celestial spark--my faith in human beings.

I beg of you not to be afraid of me.