“Your life! God above, Badger, if you value that life, listen to me!”
Nick’s rapid verbal thrusts had accomplished just what he had expected.
Yet the change that had come over the gambler was one to have startled and alarmed most men. As he heard the words that told him his secret was known to another, Flood became ghastly white, sat silent for a moment, then suddenly sprang down from the table, gave utterance to the interruption noted, and seized Nick by the throat.
“You are mad—mad!” he fiercely continued, with eyes blazing and his voice choked with rage. “I did nothing of the kind. My loss was on the level. If you ever breathe another word of this, Joe Badger, I’ll throttle your life from your body. I tell you——”
“Let go, Mose, or you’ll have done it here and now!” cried Nick, struggling to his feet and throwing off the impassioned man. “I know what I saw last night——”
“You lie! You lie!”
“And I’m out to learn the truth, Mose, the whole truth——”
“Stop! Hark you!” interrupted Flood, livid with passion. “I say you are wrong—wrong—wrong! If you ever again assert that I dealt a false card last night, so help me Heaven, I will——”
Clang!
Again the street door-bell rang loudly through the house.