Badger swung sharply around and confronted Gaston Goulard, who had been grimly listening to the disclosures the woman had made.
“What do you want of us?” he demanded. “Why are you here? What have you got up your sleeve?”
Nick laughed audibly, in spite of his threatening situation, causing Badger to turn and glare at him.
“That’s a funny question,” said Nick. “Haven’t you any brains?”
“Brains?”
“Do you suppose I haven’t sized up this business correctly?” Nick went on. “I can tell you what that rascal wants. He wants precisely what I have pretended to want from the woman. He will tell you precisely what I have told her. I deduced the truth and the probable move that that rascal would make, and I got in my work ahead of him. That’s all there is to it—barring that you caught me in the act. But there’ll be another side to the story,” Nick pointedly added.
“What do you mean by another side?” Badger demanded, scowling.
“Wait and see!”
“You’ll never see the other side of it,” Badger returned, with a growl. “We’ve got you for keeps.”
“Better men than you have threatened me,” Nick retorted.