"And you thought I had stabbed him?" the girl said with a reproachful smile. "I hardly dare ask you to forgive me for harbouring such a thought," he replied. "Yet had it been true I, who had been a witness of the man's vile conduct, could never have blamed you. If ever an act was justifiable--" An elongated shadow shot forward on the ground in front of them. Gifford stopped abruptly, and with an involuntary action his companion clutched his arm as both looked up expectantly. Next moment Gervase Henshaw stood before them. CHAPTER XXV DEFIANCE For some moments Henshaw did not speak; indeed, it was probable that the unexpected success of his search for Edith Morriston--for such doubtless was his object--had so disagreeably startled him, that he was unable to pull those sharp wits of his together at once. But the expression which flashed into his eyes, and that came instantaneously, was of so vengeful and threatening a character, that Gifford felt glad he was there to protect the girl from her now enraged persecutor. "I did not expect to find you here, Miss Morriston." The words came sharply and wrathfully, when the man had found his glib tongue. Gifford answered. "Miss Morriston and I have been enjoying the view and the air of the pines." The commonplace remark naturally, as it was intended, went for nothing. Henshaw affected not to notice it. "I am glad I have come across you, Miss Morriston," he said, with an evident curbing of his chagrin, "as I have something rather important to say to you." "I am afraid I cannot hear it now, Mr. Henshaw," the girl returned coldly. Henshaw's face darkened. "I really must ask you to grant me an interview without delay," he retorted insistently, as though secure in his sense of power over the girl. "I am sure Mr. Gifford will permit--" "Mr. Gifford will do nothing of the sort," came the bold and rather startling reply from the person alluded to. "As a friend of Miss Morriston's I do not intend to allow you to hold any more private conversations with her." No doubt with his knowledge of the world and of his own advantage Henshaw put down Gifford's resolute speech to mere bluff. And Gervase Henshaw was too old a legal practitioner to be bluffed. "I do not for a moment admit your right to interfere," he retorted with an assumption of calm superiority. "I am addressing myself to Miss Morriston, who does not, I hope, approve of your somewhat singular manners."