In
a sense he was to be pitied, for passion tore his heart in twain. For
a moment he stood thus. Then with a spring rather than a step, he
advanced across the room till he was face to face with Harold, who,
with Ida still half fainting in his arms, and her head upon his
shoulder, was standing on the further side of the fire-place.
"Damn you," he said, "I owe this to you--you half-pay adventurer," and
he lifted his arm as though to strike him.
"Come, none of that," said the Squire, speaking for the first time. "I
will have no brawling here."
"No," put in George, edging his long form between the two, "and
begging your pardon, sir, don't you go a-calling of better men than
yourself adwenturers. At any rate, if the Colonel is an adwenturer, he
hev adwentured to some purpose, as is easy for to see," and he pointed
to Ida.
"Hold your tongue, sir," roared the Squire, as usual relieving his
feelings on his retainer. "You are always shoving your oar in where it
isn't wanted."
"All right, Squire, all right," said George the imperturbable; "thin
his manners shouldn't be sich."
"Do you mean to allow this?" said Cossey, turning fiercely to the old
gentleman. "Do you mean to allow this man to marry your daughter for
her money?"
"Mr. Cossey," answered the Squire, with his politest and most old-
fashioned bow, "whatever sympathy I may have felt for you is being
rapidly alienated by your manner.
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