"Did he say that he is engaged?"
"No, sir. He does not care to see you!"
The Westerner's dark face burned, and he bit his lip to keep the hot words from rushing out in a torrent. He stood for a moment, hesitating. But a door separated him, he believed, from Mr. Lee. He was almost ready to push open that door and confront Lee and demand an explanation of the letter forbidding him to see Winnie again. But he got the better of himself, and walked out of the office.
"If he thinks he can bluff me out, or freeze me out, he don't know me!" he grated, as he turned away. "I shall see Winnie as often as I can. Hanged if I don't go up there right now!"
With the Kansan, to think was to act. And in a few minutes he was in another car speeding toward the home of the Lees.
"If I don't get to see her, perhaps I can find out something about this mess from Inza or Elsie. They may be able to clear away the mystery. I allow I never was in so horrible a snarl in my life. But I'll punch Pike's head for this, and don't you forget it! That's whatever!"
But the Westerner met quite as chilling a reception at Lee's home as at the office. The servant who met him at the door had received her instructions.
"You are not to be admitted to the house," she said sharply.
"Is Miss Lee in?" he persisted.
"No."