Townsley took the hint with a grain of salt, but what he heard was enough to bring alarm. The thing Brown had hinted was incredible.
But as Townsley looked at the leader he realized that he was not an ordinary man. There was something extraordinary about him. He either commanded the absolute obedience of men who came near him or he sent them from him with a repulsion as strong as the attraction to those who liked him.
He felt the smothering power of this spell over his own mind now and tried to break it.
"Mr. Brown," Townsley began haltingly, "I've brought you here now. You are snug in camp. I'd like to take my team back home."
"To-night?"
"To-night."
"It won't do."
"Why not?"
"I won't allow this party to separate until the work to which God has called me is done."
"I've done my share."