"Quite, but I'm surprised so few came in costume. Why didn't you?
But I suppose you had your reasons."
"Didn't I? I'm supposed to be a bad man from the hills."
She swept him casually with an indifferent glance. "And isn't
that what you are in real life?"
His sharp scrutiny chiseled into her. "What's that?"
"You won't mind if I forget and call you Mr. Bannister instead of
Mr. Holloway?"
She thought his counterfeit astonishment perfect.
"So I'm Ned Bannister, am I?"
Their eyes clashed.
"Aren't you?"
She felt sure of it, and yet there was a lurking doubt. For there
was in his manner something indescribably more sinister than she
had felt in him on that occasion when she had saved his life.
Then a debonair recklessness had been the outstanding note, but
now there was something ribald and wicked in him.
"Since y'u put it as a question, common politeness demands an
answer. Ned Bannister is my name."
"You are the terror of this country?"
"I shan't be a terror to y'u, ma'am, if I can help it," he
smiled.
"But you are the man they call the king?"
"I have that honor."
"HONOR?"
At the sharp scorn of her accent he laughed.
"Do you mean that you are proud of your villainy?" she demanded.
Pages:
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83