He laid a warning finger on her lips and summoned up a mighty frown.
"Now will ye be done interrupting, me lady?"
Not a whit abashed, she bit the finger, pushed it away, and folding herhands in her lap, cast her eyes meekly heavenwards.
With a twinkle in his own eyes the Irishman continued:
"Well, alanna, ye must know that yesterday evening I was at Kilroy's ona matter of business--and that reminds me, Molly, we had a hand or twoat faro and the like before I left, and I had very distressing luck--"
On a sudden my lady's demure air vanished.
"Is that so, Miles? I make no doubt the stakes were prodigious high?Pray, how much have you lost?"
"Whisht, darlin', 'tis a mere thrifle, I assure you.... Well, as I wassaying, on me way home, what should happen but that we be held up by oneof these highwaymen--"
My lady's eyes widened in horror, and two little hands clutched at hiscoat.
"Oh, Miles!"
His arm tightened round her waist.
"Sure, asthore, I'm still alive to tell the tale, though 'tis not farI'll be getting with you interrupting at every moment!"
"But, Miles, how terrible! You might have been killed! And you nevertold me! 'Twas monstrous wicked of you, darling!"
"Faith, Molly, how should I be telling you when 'twas yourself that wasfast asleep? Now will you whisht?"
She nodded obediently, and dimpled.
"Well, as I say, here was this man standing in the road, pointing hispistol at me. But will ye believe me, me love, when I tell you that thatsame pistol was as empty as--my own?" Here he was shaken with laughter."Lud, Molly, 'twas the drollest thing! I had me pistol in me hand,knowing 'twas unloaded, and wondering what the devil, saving yourpresence, was to do next, when the idea struck me that I should try tobluff me fine sir. So I cried out that his pistol was unloaded, andcompletely took him by surprise! Sure he hadn't time to ask himself howthe devil I should be knowing that! He dropped it on the road. Afther--"
"Miles, you are becoming very Irish!"
"Never say so, alanna. _After_ that 'twas simple enough, and me lordgave in. He held out his hands for me to bind--and here's where 'tispuzzling, Molly--I saw that they were a prodigious sight too white andfine for an ordinary highwayman. So I taxed him with it--"
"'Twas a gentleman in disguise! How splendid, Miles!"
"Will ye hold your tongue, asthore, and not be spoiling me story on me?"
"Oh, indeed I am sorry! I will be good!"
"--and he started and seemed monstrous put out. What's more, me dear, Iheard him speak to his mare in an ordinary, gentleman's voice. Molly, yenever saw the like of that same mare! The sweetest--"
"Pray, never mind the mare, dear! I am all agog to hear about thegentleman-highwayman!"
"Very well, me love, though 'twas a prodigious fine mare--When I heardhim speak, it flashed across me brain that I knew him--no, ye don't,Molly!" His hand was over her mouth as he spoke, and her eyes dancedmadly. "But I could not for the life of me think where I had heard thatvoice: 'twas but the one word I heard him speak, ye understand, and whenI held his wrists I felt that 'twas no stranger. And yet 'tisimpossible. When I got him within the coach--"
"How imprudent! He might have--"
"Whisht now! When I got him within the coach I tried to worm hisidentity out of him, but 'twas to no avail. But when I told him he wouldhave to appear before me to-day, he went off into a fit of laughing,till I wondered what he was at, at all. And not another word could I getout of him after beyond 'Yes, sir,' and 'No, sir.' Still, I felt that'twas a gentleman all the same, so I--"
He was enveloped in a rapturous embrace.
"You dear Miles! You let him escape?"
"Sure, alanna, is it meself that would be doing the like? And me aJustice of the Peace withal? I told them not to handcuff me lord."
"Oh, I do so wish you had let him escape! But if 'tis really agentleman, you will?"