Part 15 (2/2)
”Which will be one hour,” said Major Proctor
”Be careful, Major,” said rown too stout to risk your words Do you care to knohy I a to remain?”
No one answered
”Then I will tell you,” he went on ”Three of my shi+ps are in the harbor, and times are troublesome at sea They are armed with heavy metal, and manned by quite as reckless and unpleasant a lot of men as I have ever beheld on a deck Between the calibre, and there is powder in their o any further, or do we understand each other?”
”No,” snapped Captain Tracy hoarsely ”I'm damned if we do”
”It sounds crude, as I say it,” he continued apologetically, ”and yet true, nevertheless As soon as I see anyone of you, or any of ain, I shall order my shi+ps to tack down the river, and open fire on the town They have sail ready now, gentleone already to carry the for piracy tohed the Major harshly ”Shelton, you have grown ently ”Mad, Major Mad enough to put my threat into effect in five h to scuttle every shi+p in this harbor; h even to find the company of you and your friends h to wonder why I ever suffered you to reh to believe you a pack of curs and cowards, and h to treat you as such Keep off, Tracy, you bloated fool!”
”By God!” Captain Tracy shouted, ”We'll burn this house over your head
In an hour we'll have you shot against the town hall”
”Perhaps,” said my father, ”and yet I doubt it Pray reentleh anchor If you do not go, I cannot stop therown a trifle pale ”Captain Shelton,” he demanded slowly, ”are you entirely serious? I almost believe you are Of course you understand the consequences?”
”Perfectly,” said entlemen,” said Mr Penfield ”You will hear from us later”
And he turned quickly towards the hall
As he did so, ht arm, and drove his fist into Captain Tracy's upturned face His bloell directed, for the captain staggered and fell In almost the same motion he wheeled on Major Proctor, who had started back, and was tugging at his sword
”Later, perhaps, Major,” he said, without even lifting his voice ”But today I am busy Pray take him away He was always indiscreet And you,”
he added to Mr Lane, ”surely you knoell enough not to try conclusions with me Take him away Your hats are in the hall I shall show you the door entleently behind him
X
Mademoiselle, who had risen fro the conversation in a tongue foreign from hers, stared at the closed door, her lips parted, and her forehead wrinkled
”What have they been saying?” she asked ”Why are they afraid? Is everyone afraid of this father of yours?”
And then, impulsively, she seized me by the arm
”But it makes no difference Come, it is our one chance; come quickly, Monsieur I must speak to you, where he will not disturb us”
”But where?” I asked, still staring straight beforeroo toward it and drew it hastily ”It will do no good to talk, Mademoiselle If you had understood--” And as I spoke, the enorer beforehe has robbed my uncle of a fortune, snatched it from him here in this very room, and now he has threatened to move his shi+ps into midstream, and to open fire on the town! And Madeht once--but he means to do it, Mademoiselle”
She pursed her lips, and looked at me frorowing frightened also Yet I can understand The Marquis always said that Captain Shelton could frighten the devil himself”