“You have no right to arrest me without some evidence of wrong-doing.”
“Well, I’m going to arrest you anyhow, and take my chances of proving something on you.”
Hooliam scowled and pulled at his lip.
Stonor thought: “You’d give a lot to know how much I know, my man!”
Myengeen addressed Imbrie. Stonor watched him narrowly. He could only understand one word, the man’s name, “Eembrie,” but Myengeen’s whole attitude to the other was significant. There was respect in it; admiration, not unmixed with awe. Stonor wondered afresh. Clearly there could be no doubt this was their White Medicine Man.
Imbrie said to Stonor, with his cynical laugh: “I suppose you want to know what he’s saying. I don’t understand it all. I’m just learning their lingo. But he’s offering me the homage of the tribe or something like that.”
“It’s more than you deserve,” thought Stonor. Aloud he said: “Imbrie, if you do what I tell you you can ride as you are. But if you want to make trouble I’ll have to tie you up. So take your choice.”
“Oh, I don’t hanker after any hempen bracelets,” said Imbrie. “What do you want of me?”
“First of all order somebody to bring out all your gear and spread it on the ground.”
“That’s not much,” said Imbrie. By word and by sign he communicated the order to one of the Kakisas. It seemed to Stonor that something was reserved.