It was plain that Ladd spoke his convictions when he said he felt easy as to Washington.
"Appah's gittin' kind o' chesty," suggested Cadger with an indifference that was important.
"Yes," drawled Ladd. "Take your hand off their throat and let them get an easy breath and they begin to buck. He's showin' off. He'd like his people to think he's a bigger man than I am."
"Oh, he'll settle down and git tame when he's lassoed Wah-na-gi."
"Well, he isn't going to lasso Wah-na-gi," said Ladd quickly.
"No? Why, I thought that was your idee."
"I had hoped that Calthorpe and Appah would sort of mix it up and save me a lot of trouble."
"Then you never intended him to have her?"
"Never."
"That's his understandin'."