Henrietta leaned forward in her chair. “Stuff!” Freeman laughed carelessly. “Why should I want to leave Riverbank?”
“Come here a minute and I'll tell you what I heard,” said Bruce, keeping to the tone of inoffensive friendliness.
Todder arose and walked a few yards away with Carter Bruce.
“Excuse the secretive males,” Bruce called; and then his tone changed, as he spoke to Todder. “You are going to leave because you have a wife you ought to be looking after, instead of making up to some of the girls here. I've got this straight, understand? So you get out of town before the first of next week or there'll be trouble.”
Todder felt in his pocket for a cigarette.
“Got a wife I ought to be looking after, have I?” he said. “That's glad tidings. Nothing like having a wife. Now, where is this wife of mine?” He did not know how much Carter Bruce knew, or how he had learned what he did know, but he felt fairly positive that Bruce did not know much or he would not have suggested that he ought to be looking after his wife. Henrietta was his wife, and he was, all things considered, fairly close to her even at that moment. “Just where is this wife of mine, Bruce? I'm interested. That's proper, is n't it? A man ought to be interested in his wife.”
“You know where she is,” Bruce said.
“That means you don't,” said Freeman, suddenly taking the offensive. “That means somebody has been lying to you or you have been overworking your imagination. Where is this wife of mine?”
Carter smiled. He had played for this. He watched Freeman Todder's face, to see the sneering smile die when he spoke.
“Your wife,” he said slowly, “is in Colorado.” The effect on Freeman Todder was not at all what Bruce had expected. Instead of cringing he shouted a laugh. He even clapped Bruce on the shoulder.