“Your word, Badger, is a poor voucher.”
“You now know far too much about us for us to let you escape and disclose it,” added the latter decisively. “I now want to know of just what your knowledge consists, and what action you have taken against us.”
Nick laughed a bit derisively.
“I guess, Badger, you’ll have to take it out in wanting,” said he.
“You’ll not inform me?”
“Not by a long chalk.”
“I shall find a way to compel you.”
“Possibly,” said Nick. “But you’ll have a long hunt before you find the way.”
“You’ll let me alone to find that,” cried Badger, with confident asperity. “I can devise tortures so acute that even you will reveal what you have done toward——”
His rascally threat was interrupted at that point by the sound of approaching steps from beyond the partly closed door. In a moment it was thrown open, and Jerry Conley, followed by Vic Clayton and Badger’s wife, entered the dismal place.