"Nonsense, sir. We have a witness who verifies Reimer in every particular, who swears he saw from the doorway——"
"Who is your witness?"
"Fritz Weyl—I see you remember him. He——"
Wray laughed uneasily. "Yes, I remember Fritz?"
Bent came one step nearer, waving a trembling hand at Cortland, who had returned and was trying to restrain him. But the General shook him off.
"We dropped those civil suits because we thought it was wise to do so, and because we knew that in time we would be in a position to win in other ways. There are other processes of law besides the civil ones, and those are the ones we choose to take. Before you can leave Denver you'll be arrested on charges of abduction and conspiracy. I suppose you know what that means?"
Jeff grew a shade paler, his eyes blazing their resentment at the old man who stood tottering before him.
"You'd do that—you?" cried Jeff, hoarsely, struggling hard to keep himself under control. "You'd hire men to send me to the penitentiary because I've balked your plans—because I've beaten you in a fair fight against odds;—you?—you?" Wray clenched his fist and took a step forward, but Larry Berkely seized him by the arm, and Cortland Bent stepped between.
General Bent pushed his son aside.
"Go, Cort—call McCabe. We'll see——"