"Elsie—little sweetheart!"
He began to remove the muffling coat.
"Do not scream, Elsie—do not draw away, darling. Say that you will love me a little—just a little!"
He pulled the coat away, and something came out of the folds and touched cold and chilling against his forehead.
It was the muzzle of a revolver!
"Keep still!" commanded a voice that was full of chuckling laughter. "If you chirp, I'll have to blow the roof of your head off, Gage!"
Leslie Gage caught his breath and nearly collapsed into the bottom of the boat. Indeed, he would have fallen had not a strong hand fastened on his collar and held him.
It was not Elsie Bellwood!
"I don't want to shoot you, Gage," whispered the cool voice. "I don't feel like that, even though you did attempt to take my life once or twice in the past. You have made me very good natured within the past few moments. How you did love me! How gently you murmured, 'Do not draw away, darling; say that you love me a little—just a little!' Ha! ha! ha! Really, Gage, you gave me such amusement that I am more than satisfied with this little adventure."
"That voice—I know it!" grated Gage, through set teeth. "Still, I can't place you."