A deafening report--a gush of smoke, and the oncoming figure stumbled,
checked uncertainly and stood swaying, right arm dangling helplessly,
and I saw blood welling through the sleeve of his fine coat and
dribbling from his finger ends; but he stood heedless of the wound,
his burning gaze fixed upon the grim and silent figure before him.
Once it seemed he strove to speak but no words came, and slowly he
reached a fumbling hand to clasp uncertain fingers above the gushing
wound.
Slipping from my hold, Diana took a step towards him, but his
lordship's voice stopped her.
"Leave him, girl! Touch him not--do not sully your maidenhood with
thing so vile. Let him crawl hence as best he may. Begone, beastly
villain!" he commanded, with imperious gesture of the smoking pistol,
"and be sufficiently thankful that my bullet sought your dastardly arm
and not your pitiless black heart! Go, and instantly, lest I be
tempted to change my mind and rid the world of thing so evil!"
Speechlessly the stranger turned, hand clasped above his hurt to stay
the effusion of blood, and lurched and stumbled from our sight.
"Sir--O sir," I stammered, "who--what is that man?"
"A creature so unutterably evil, Peregrine, that only music could
adequately describe him. He is one who should be dead years ago and
consequently I am somewhat perturbed that I did not slay him outright
instead of merely breaking his arm. It was a mistake, I fear, yes, a
grave omission, yet there may offer another opportunity, who knows?
Pray God his black shadow may never again darken your path, Peregrine,
nor sully your sweet purity, my goddess of the woods.
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