He would have pushed her aside even then; but she clung to his arms. The fury of the man was almost uncontrollable. His baleful eyes glared past her. At length, with a tremendous effort, he regained some measure of control. But it was long before his heavy breathing calmed.
Finally, he drew a deep breath and lifted her to her feet. He tenderly assisted her to a seat on the stump of a tree.
Then he turned again to the stingless “Wasp.” “Get up! You’re not through yet!”
When the dazed creature did not respond quickly enough, he roughly dragged him to his feet. Without giving him time to speak, he hustled him toward the girl.
“Now,” he commanded grimly, “get down and beg her pardon on your knees!”
At last beginning to recover his senses, Williams declared with violent profanity that he would not get down on his knees to any woman alive. He started to back away.
In an instant Cameron was upon him. Breaking down the miner’s resistance as one might crush the puny efforts of a child, he seized his wrist, and forced it around behind his back and upward. Then he began to twist. That hold, properly taken, is one of the most terrible tortures to which a man can be subjected. Each attempt to escape only increases the agony. Under its deadly punishment, strong men break down and cry like children.
That is exactly what Williams did. His breath coming in harsh sobs, he at length muttered the words of the required apology.
Cameron instantly released him. Again jerking him to his feet, he hurried him to the gate and shoved him out.
“Now go,” he ground out, “and thank God, if you know who He is, that you’re alive! Never mind the revolvers! I’ll take charge of them. And, if I ever catch you around here again, I’ll shoot you on sight!”