"
Donald's father took the news stoically. His nature was not emotional.
The relations between father and son were strained. Little was said on
either side.
Donald walked about as usual. He had repeated to his immediate friends
every circumstance of the tragedy. They fully believed him innocent of
murder. This exoneration was of great value to him. From mouth to mouth
the story spread that Donald fired in self-defence, and the latter found
that all the faces he met were friendly faces.
What he said to himself in his own room every night, he said to his
friends--"I regret the deed. I had no thought of touching Warren. When I
saw his pistol flash in front of me, I felt in a moment that my life was
at stake. I obeyed an instinct, which prompted me to get the first shot
to save myself. I could get back to the States, but I'll stay right
here. Let them take me if they can."
In vain his friends urged flight. He was inflexible on this point.
So, as we have stated, he walked abroad in perfect safety. He carried
his rifle and his two revolvers, and possibly, in some quarters, this
rather suggestive display may, in _some_ degree, have accounted for the
civility with which he was everywhere greeted.
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