in many ways, but she takes things hard. If you are merely amusing
yourself at her expense--" He stopped.

"Well?" Sir Eustace threw the question with sudden anger. His great,
lounging figure stiffened. A blue flame shot up in his eyes.

Scott stood silent for a moment or two; then with a great effort he
unclenched his hands and came forward. "I am not going to believe that of
you unless you tell me it is so," he said.

Sir Eustace reached out an unexpected hand without rising, and took him
by the shoulder. "You may be small of stature, Stumpy," he said, "but
you're the biggest fool I know. You're making mountains out of molehills,
and you'll get yourself into trouble if you're not careful."

Scott looked at him. "Do you imagine I'm afraid of you, I wonder?" he
said, a faint tremor of irony in his quiet voice.

Sir Eustace's hold tightened. His mouth was hard. "I imagine that I could
make things highly unpleasant for you if you provoked me too far," he
said. "And let me warn you, you have gone quite far enough in a matter in
which you have no concern whatever. I never have stood any interference
from you and I never will. Let that be understood--once for all!"

He met Scott's look with eyes of smouldering wrath. There was more than
warning in his hold; it conveyed menace.

Yet Scott, very pale, supremely dignified, made no motion to retreat.
"You have not answered me yet," he said. "I must have an answer."