Still, he did not quite see how the end was to be attained, and said so.
"You shall be enlightened if you will do as I request," Wilding insisted, and Vallancey, with a lift of the brows, a snort, and a shrug, turned away to comply.
"Do you mean," quoth Trenchard, bursting with indignation, "that you will let live a man who has struck you ?" Wilding took his friend affectionately by the arm.

"It is a whim of mine," said he.

"Do you think, Nick, that it is more than I can afford to indulge ?" "I say not so," was the ready answer; "but..." "I thought you'd not," said Mr.Wilding, interrupting.

"And if any does--why, I shall be glad to prove it upon him that he lies." He laughed, and Trenchard, vexed though he was, was forced to laugh with him.

Then Nick set himself to urge the thing that last night had plagued his mind: that this Richard might prove a danger to the Cause; that in the Duke's interest, if not to safeguard his own person from some vindictive betrayal, Wilding would be better advised in imposing a reliable silence upon him.
"But why vindictive ?" Mr.Wilding remonstrated.