“But, my dear fellow, that is too black! He could not try to kill in cold blood a man he had hunted with, and fenced with-and⁠—and⁠—no man could!”

O’Hara looked extremely sceptical.

“Because ye could not yourself, is not to say that a miserable spalpeen like Belmanoir could not.”

“I don’t believe it of him. We were always quite friendly⁠—if it had been Robert now⁠—But I am not going to believe it. And don’t say anything to these people, O’Hara, because they do not know Devil. I gather from what Miss Betty says, that he calls himself Everard. He met the girl⁠—Diana⁠—at Bath; you know his way. She’d none of him: hence the abduction.”

“Heavens, but ’tis a foul mind the man’s got!”

“Where women are concerned, yes. Otherwise⁠—’tis not such a bad fellow, Miles.”

“I’ve no use for that kind of dirt myself, Jack.”