He clutched the revolver and leaned across the table with a hoarse whisper:
"By God, if you insult America again, I'll shoot you! It's one thing to admire Germany. It's another to sling mud at America."
"What, you too, you hybrid!" shrieked Werner. "You play Germany into the hands of this swine; this monkey-headed inventor; this letter thief, this——"
With an inarticulate roar, Ernest pulled the trigger just as Roger knocked the revolver upward. The bullet lodged in the ceiling. But Werner had had enough. While Roger clung to the roaring Ernest, he rushed down the trail to the corral, where Hackett began at once to hitch Dick's team to the buckboard.
"Let go of me, Roger! Let me get at him!" howled Ernest.
Dick came running up the trail. "It's all right, Dick, don't bother!" called Roger. "Leave us alone a little while longer. What's the matter, Ernest? Be quiet, man! Let's talk like men and not row like a couple of dogs."
Roger eased Ernest into a chair and Ernest ceased to struggle, but stared at Roger gloomily.
"Well, what are you going to do about it?" he asked sullenly.
"I'm going to make you see the error of your ways." Roger smiled grimly. "Use your common sense, Ernest. What could Germany give you, except money? All your life ties are here."
"Wonderful ties!" sneered Ernest. "Charley has turned me down, my father has turned me out and you've beaten me up."