"Gaston?" An ugly oath escaped Jude.
"Gaston. But not for what you think. Jude, he's after you." Jared paused for effect.
"After me?" The ugliness gave place to a dull fear.
"You, my son. He wants you to free Joyce." Evidently this announcement failed to reach Jude's intelligence.
"Free her? Me? What's got you, old man? Didn't she cut, herself?"
"You don't catch on, Jude. He wants to do the big, white thing by the girl—marry her out of hand clean and particular, and he wants to get your word that you won't make any trouble."
A silence followed this. Jude was struggling to digest it; but the result was simple.
"Well, by thunder! Won't he have to pay high for it?"
There was excitement and feverish energy in Jude's voice now.
"Maybe he'll fling a bone to you—but don't you see, son, you can hold off and make him pay, and pay and pay?