Steinmetz was nearest to him, watching with his keen, quiet eyes.
Paul went up to De Chauxville and took the rifle from his hands.

He opened the breech and looked into the barrels.

They were clean; the rifle had not been fired off.
He gave a little laugh of contempt, and, throwing the rifle at De Chauxville's feet, turned abruptly away.
It was Catrina who spoke.
"If you had killed him," she said, "I would have killed you!" Steinmetz picked up the rifle, closed the breech, and handed it to De Chauxville with a queer smile..