“⁠—Of shoes , sir,” said Giles, turning upon him, and laying great emphasis on the word; “seized the loaded pistol that always goes upstairs with the plate-basket; and walked on tiptoes to his room. ‘Brittles,’ I says, when I had woke him, ‘don’t be frightened!’ ”

“So you did,” observed Brittles, in a low voice.

“ ‘We’re dead men, I think, Brittles,’ I says,” continued Giles; “ ‘but don’t be frightened.’ ”

“ Was he frightened?” asked the cook.

“Not a bit of it,” replied Mr. Giles. “He was as firm⁠—ah! pretty near as firm as I was.”

“I should have died at once, I’m sure, if it had been me,” observed the housemaid.