You could not hold the gun straight."
"I deny it," she said, "the gun went off----"
"Yes," he said, "you are wise to make no admissions; they might be
used in evidence against you. Let me counsel you to make no
admissions. But now look here. I suppose the man will have to lie in
this house until he recovers or dies, and that you will help to nurse
him. Well, I will have none of your murderous work going on here. Do
you hear me? You are not to complete at leisure what you have begun in
haste."
"What do you take me for?" she asked, with some return of spirit; "do
you think that I would injure a wounded man?"
"I do not know," he answered, with a shrug, "and as for what I take
you for, I take you for a woman whose passion has made her mad," and
he turned and left the room.
When they had carried Edward Cossey, dead or alive--and he looked more
like death than life--up to the room prepared for him, seeing that he
could be of no further use the Colonel left the house with a view of
going to the Castle.
On his way out he looked into the drawing-room and there was Mrs.
Quest, still sitting on the chair and gazing blankly before her.
Pitying her he entered. "Come, cheer up, Mrs. Quest," he said kindly,
"they hope that he will live."
She made no answer.
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