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Roger had collected two stools and an upturned bucket I took the latter and shoved itJa distance of each other Roger himself retired discreetly into the shadows besideinterested

Wylie accepted the jug of coffee stiffly, but a few deep ss seeree He lowered it at last and breathed audibly, his features a littleback to Jaht on his stool, tenderly adjusting his hich had survived the evening’s adventures, but was much the worse for its experiences "Now, then May I inquire the reason for thisthisunspeakable behavior?"

"Ye ht in turn "I wish to discover the nature of your associations with a certain Stephen Bonnet, and your knowledge of his present whereabouts"

Wylie’s face went alan to turn toward me, to ask for clarification, then recalled that he was not acknowledging lowered at Jamie, dark brows dran

"I have no acquaintance with any gentlee of his reatly doubt that I should feel ed to inforhtful sip of coffee, then handed the jug to uest toward his host, Mr Wylie?"

The dark brows rose in astonishment

"What do you mean, sir?"

"I take it that you are not aware, sir, that Mrs Innes and her husband were assaulted last evening, and an attempt at robbery made upon theood actor, or his surprise was genuine Given ht he was no kind of actor

"I was not Who--" A thought struck hied slightly "You think that I was concerned in this--this--"

"Dastardly enterprise?" Roger suggested He seeuard duty "Aye, I expect we do A bit of crumb cake with your coffee, sir?" He held out a chunk of cake; Wylie stared at it for a er’s hand

"You blackguard!" He rounded on Jamie, fists clenched "You dare to imply that I am a thief?"

Jamie rocked back a little on his stool, chin lifted

"Aye, I do," he said coolly "Ye tried to steal my wife frooods?"

Wylie’s face flushed a deep and ugly cri, his hair would have stood on end

"Youabsolutecunt!" he breathed Then he launched himself at Jamie Both of thes

I leaped back, clasping the coffee jug to ed toward the fray, but I snatched at hi his cloak to hold hie of size and skill, but Wylie was by no means a novice in the art of fisticuffs, and was in addition propelled by a berserk rage Given a few moments more, Jamie would have him hammered into submission, but I was not inclined to wait

Monstrously irritated with the pair of the It wasn’t boiling, but hot enough There were simultaneous yelps of surprise, and the two ht I heard Roger laugh behind ht-faced interest He raised his eyebrows at me, and crammed another chunk of cake into his mouth

I turned back to find Ja from his knees, both soaked with coffee, and both with expressions is at the point where I had interrupted them I pushed my way between theh of this!"

"I haven’t!" Wylie said hotly "He has ined my honor, and I demand--"

"Oh, to hell with your beastly honor--and yours, too!" I snarled, glaring fro to say so equally infla snort

I kicked one of the fallen stools, and pointed at it, still glaring at Ja the soaked fabric of his shirt away frohted the stool and sat on it, with inity

Wylie was less inclined to pay attention toon with further remarks about his honor I kicked hi stout boots He yelped and hopped on one foot, holding his affronted leg The horses, thoroughly roused by the co in their boxes, and the air was full of floating chaff

"Ye dinna want to trifle with her when she’s in a teerous, aye?"

Wylie glowered at me, but his scowl altered to a look of uncertainty--whether because of the e by the neck like a club, or because of his ht before, when he had discovered me in the midst of Betty’s autopsy With an effort, he shatever he had been going to say, and sat slowly down upon the other stool He pulled a kerchief from his stained waistcoat pocket, and blotted a trickle of blood that was running down the side of his face from a cut above the brow