"
"No, he didn't, Shirley. He interfered and fouled me. Still, despite
that, if I had known you were a spectator I think I should have
controlled myself and refrained from pulling off my vengeance in your
presence. I shall never cease to regret that I subjected you to such
a distressing spectacle. I do hope, however, that you will believe me
when I tell you I am not a bully, although when there is a fight
worth while, I never dodge it. And this time I fought for the honour
of the House of Cardigan."
"If you want me to believe that, you will beg my uncle's pardon."
"I can't do that. He is my enemy and I shall hate him forever; I
shall fight him and his way of doing business until he reforms or I
am exhausted."
She looked up at him, showing a face in which resentment, outrage,
and wistfulness were mirrored.
"You realize, of course, what your insistence on that plan means, Mr.
Cardigan?"
"Call me Bryce," he pleaded. "You're going to call me that some day
anyhow, so why not start now?"
"You are altogether insufferable, sir. Please go away and never
presume to address me again. You are quite impossible."
He shook his head. "I do not give up that readily, Shirley. I didn't
know how dear--what your friendship meant to me, until you sent me
away; I didn't think there was any hope until you warned me those
dogs were hunting me--and called me Bryce.
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