"How?" he demanded roughly, coming over and shaking her by the arm. Susie winced, and pulled herself free.
"You leave me alone!" she warned him. "How do I know how Linda got away? Could I run after her?"
"No, but you might 'ave watched her!" snarled Slats. "Didn't I tell you to?"
"Watching wouldn't keep her here," retorted Susie.
"Is her Bug still there?" he inquired.
"Yeah. I hobbled over and took a look myself."
"Oh, you did, did you?" Then, worn out and disappointed, Slats started to swear.
Susie sat still, regarding him with contempt. How vulgar such language sounded, when you actually stopped and listened to it! She did not realize it at the time, but just the few hours which she had spent with Linda Carlton had given her a new view-point. Or rather, had brought back her training as a child, before she had "gone bad."
When the man's anger had spent itself in violent words, he began to wonder how on earth Linda could have escaped.
"No human being could get far in this here bog, without a boat or a plane!" he exclaimed. "She must be around here somewhere."