"Ah! Garman, Garman, what did I tell you—what did I tell you? I knew
Annette never would leave you of her own free will!"
"You —— impudent squirt!" said Garman, "You mean to tell me you——
No, you wouldn't be man enough to steal her. Who brought her to you?"
Again Roger debated.
"If you come and get her as you threaten to do, you may find out."
Garman's rage was ghastly to behold. The flesh of his face seemed to swell in puffs, his nostrils widened, his eyes seemed to recede beneath the fleshy brows. He held up his great hairy hands, closing and opening them; but enough reason remained in his rage-drunken mind to comprehend the iciness of the blue eyes above the rifle barrel.
"By——! Fairclothe, I believe you did it yourself," he cried, venting his rage on the helpless Senator. "Don't try to talk back. I believe you did it, you and that dried-up, gold-digger of a sister. But by——! if you have you'll be yanked out of the Senate and go to jail, Fairclothe! Don't talk! I'm sick of you."
He jerked his paddle from the bottom and the current gently drew the canoe back downstream. Roger forced a smile of false triumph upon his face. He must not let Garman turn elsewhere to look for Annette.
"Licked, eh, Garman?" he taunted. "I'll go back and tell Annette about it. We'll enjoy it together."
The canoe was drifting down the bend.
"And come in a hurry, Garman, if you intend to get her; because if you wait long you won't find her here."