"I understand," said Hal easily, "that you threatened to shoot me on sight. Well, I'm on sight."
"Well," said the other calmly, "it may come to that, and it may not. That's up to you."
"Sit down," and Hal motioned to a seat with a smile.
"Thanks!" and Ladd sat on the harrow and nursed his knee in a careless off-hand way. "The Indians are very mad. Abduction of women is a serious matter, isn't it? Even a mean, dispirited race will fight for its women. Well, her people think you stole Wah-na-gi."
Hal thought for a moment and then as he did not see any advantage in dodging the issue, he said:
"Yes, I took her. She's here."
"Oh, you admit it?" said the agent with elation. "Well, that's something. Then perhaps you'll be good enough to hand her over to me."
"Well, no, not exactly. You see she's claimed my protection."
"Your protection?" responded Ladd with a cynical laugh. "That's rather feeble, isn't it? Well, the Indians claim my protection; protection for their women, for their homes!"
To Hal, who knew the extent of Wah-na-gi's obligations to her own people and their supreme indifference to the girl, this buncombe was peculiarly exasperating, but he did not honor it with a reply.