Thus
they talked awhile, Diana scowling and fierce, he grinning and
impudent.
"Hey, my buck!" he cried suddenly, tossing the ash stick to me. "You
can tak' it; aye, tak' it--'t will be more use to you nor me--her'll
need it more nor my pony, aye, that 'er will. Don't stand none o' her
tricks, pal, though her'll take a lot o' taming, an' you ain't no
match for 'er by your looks, but lay into 'er wi' yon stick an' do
your best--" Having said which, he laughed again and, turning his
pony, trotted off. Outraged by his insolence, I caught up the stick
with some notion of running after him, but Diana checked me.
"Not him!" she said. "He ain't--isn't like Gabbing Dick; he's a
fighting man and dangerous."
"Who is he?" I demanded.
"A Romany."
"And what did the fellow say to you?"
"Nothing to harm."
"Did he suggest--the--the same as the Peddler and that hateful old
hag?"
"Lord--and what if he did?"
"Why, then," I answered, "for your sake there is but one of two
courses that I can honourably adopt. I must either leave you at once
or marry you at the--the first opportunity."
"Marry me!" she breathed. "Marry--me?"
"Exactly!" said I, folding my arms and staring down into the stream in
a very determined fashion. At this, she sat so very still and silent
that at last I ventured to glance up, to find her regarding me
great-eyed. Then, all at once, to my indignant surprise, she began to
laugh, but ceased as suddenly, and I wondered to see her eyes brimming
with tears.
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