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〃Oh； well now then；〃 he muttered； quite disconcerted。
She raised her eyes from the ground； and for the first time looked
full at him； in her expression both curiosity and resentment。
〃It is perfectly intolerable；〃 she said with a heaving breast。
〃Will you tell me who you are？〃
〃I've told you one thing；〃 he answered sullenly； his eyes on fire。
〃I should have thought that was enough。 I'll tell you nothing more。〃
〃I think you are the most horrid man I ever met；〃 she cried。 〃And
the very； very ugliest … all that hair on your face so that no one
can see anything else。 What are you like when you cut it off？〃
〃Does that matter？〃 he asked； in the same gruff and surly manner。
〃I should think it matters a good deal when I ask you；〃 she
exclaimed。 〃Do you expect any one to care for a man she has never
seen … nothing but hair。 You hurt my wrists awfully that night；〃
she added resentfully。 〃And you've never even hinted you're sorry。〃
His reply was unexpected and it disconcerted her greatly and for
the first time； for he caught both her wrists in his hands and
kissed them passionately where the cords had been。
〃You mustn't do that； please don't do that；〃 she said quickly；
trying to release herself。
Her strength was nothing to his and he stood up and put his arm
around her and strained her to him in an embrace so passionate and
powerful she could not have resisted it though she had wished to。
But no thought of resistance came to her； since for the moment she
had lost all consciousness of everything save the strange thrill of
his bright； clear eyes looking so closely into hers； of his strong
arms holding her so firmly。
He released her； or rather she at last freed herself by an effort
he did not oppose； and she fled away down the path。
She had an impression that her hair would come down and that that
would make her look a fright； and she put up her hands hurriedly
to secure it。 She never looked back to where he stood； breathing
heavily and looking after her and thinking not of her； but of two
dead men whom he had seen of late。
〃Shall I make the third？〃 he wondered。 〃I do not care if I do；
not I。〃
The path Ella had fled by led into another along which when she
reached it she saw Deede Dawson coming。
She stopped at once and began to busy herself with a flower…bed
overrun with weeds； but she could not entirely conceal her agitation
from her stepfather's cold grey eyes。
〃Oh； there you are； Ella； he said； with all that false geniality of
his that filled the girl with such loathing and distrust。 〃Have you
seen Dunn？ Oh； there he is； isn't he？ I wanted to ask you； Ella；
what do you think of Dunn？〃
She glanced over her shoulder towards where Dunn stood； and she
managed to answer with a passable air of indifference。
〃Well； I suppose；〃 she said； 〃that he is quite the ugliest man I
ever saw。 Of course； if he cut all of that hair off … 〃
Deede Dawson laughed though his eyes remained as hard and cold as
ever。
〃I shall have to give him orders to shave；〃 he said。 〃Your mother
was telling me I ought to the other day； she said it didn't look
respectable to have a man about with all that hair on his face。
Though I don't see myself why hair isn't respectable； do you？〃
〃It looks odd；〃 answered Ella carelessly。
Deede Dawson laughed again； and walked on to where Dunn was standing
waiting for him。 With his perpetual smile that his cold and evil
eyes so strangely contradicted； he said to him：
〃Well； what have you and Ella been talking about？〃
〃Why do you ask？〃 growled Dunn。
〃Because she looks upset；〃 answered Deede Dawson。 〃Oh； don't be shy
about it。 Shall I give you a little good advice？〃
〃What？〃
〃Never shave。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because that thick growth of hair hiding your face gives you an air
of mystery and romance no woman could possibly resist。 You're a
perpetual puzzle； and to pique a woman's curiosity is the surest way
to interest her。 Why； there are plenty of women who would marry you
simply to find out what is under all that hair。 So never you shave。〃
〃I don't mean to。〃
〃Unless； of course； you have to … for purposes of disguise； for
example。
〃I thought you were hinting that the beard itself was a disguise；〃
retorted Dunn。
〃Removing it might become a better one；〃 answered Deede Dawson。
〃You told me once you knew this part fairly well。 Do you know
Wreste Abbey？〃
Dunn gave his questioner a scowling look that seemed full of anger
and suspicion。
〃What about it if I do？〃 he asked。
〃I am asking if you do know it；〃 said Deede Dawson。
〃Yes； I do。 Well？〃
〃It belongs to Lord Chobham； doesn't it？〃
Dunn nodded。
〃Old man； isn't he？〃
〃I'm not a book of reference about Lord Chobham；〃 answered Dunn。
〃If you want to know his age； you can easily find out； I suppose。
What's the sense of asking me a lot of questions like that？〃
〃He has no family； and his heir is his younger brother； General
Dunsmore； who has one son； Rupert； I believe。 Do you know if
that's so？〃
〃Look here；〃 said Dunn； speaking with a great appearance of anger。
〃Don't you go too far； or maybe something you won't like will happen。
If you've anything to say； say it straight out。 Or there'll be
trouble。〃
Deede Dawson seemed a little surprised at the vehemence of the
other's tone。
〃What's the matter？〃 he asked。 〃Don't you like the family； or what's
upsetting you？〃
Dunn seemed almost choking with fury。 He half…lifted one hand and
let it fall again。
〃If ever I get hold of that young Rupert Dunsmore；〃 he said with a
little gasp for breath。 〃If ever I come face to face with him … man
to man … 〃
〃Dear me！〃 smiled Deede Dawson； lifting his eyebrows。 〃I'm treading
on sore toes； it seems。 What's the trouble between you？〃
〃Never you mind；〃 replied Dunn roughly。 〃That's my business。 But
no man ever had a worse enemy than he's been to me。〃
〃Has he； though？〃 said Deede Dawson； who seemed very interested and
even a little excited。 〃What did he do？〃
〃Never you mind；〃 Dunn repeated。 〃That's my affair； but I swore I'd
get even with him some day and I will； too。〃
〃Suppose；〃 said Deede Dawson。 〃Suppose I showed you a way？〃
Dunn did not answer at first； and for some moments the two men stood
watching each other and staring into each other's eyes as though
each was trying to read the depths of the other's soul。
〃Suppose；〃 said Deede Dawson very softly。 〃Suppose you were to meet
Rupert Dunsmore … alone … quite alone？〃
Still Dunn did not answer； but somehow it appeared that his silence
was full of a very deadly significance。
〃Suppose you did … what would you do？〃 murmured Deede Dawson again；
and his voice sank lower with each word he uttered till the last
was a scarce…audible whisper。
Dunn stopped and picked up a hoe that was lying near by。 He placed
the tough ash handle across his knee； and with a movement of his
powerful hands； he broke the hoe across。
The two smashed pieces he dropped on the ground； and looking at
Deede Dawson； he said：
〃Like that … if ever Rupert Dunsmore and I meet alone； only one of
us will go away alive。〃 And he confirmed it with an oath