"What?"
"Did you say those words to him?—'I'm going to give you the very worst licking you ever heard tell of'?"
"Why, I believe I did."
Bob threw back his head and laughed.
"So did I!" he cried; and then, after a moment, more soberly. "I think, incidentally, it saved my life."
"Now what are you driving at?" asked Orde.
"Listen, this is funny: Newmark had me kidnapped by one of his men, and lugged off to a little valley in the mountains. The idea was to keep me there until after the trial, so my testimony would not appear. You see, none of our side knew I had that testimony. I hadn't told anybody, because I had been undecided as to what I was going to do."
Orde whistled.
"I got away, and had quite a time getting home. I'll tell you all the details some other time. On the road I met Newmark. I was pretty mad, so I lit into him stiff-legged. After a few words he got scared and pulled a gun on me. I was just mad enough to keep coming, and I swear I believe he was just on the point of shooting, when I said those very same words: 'I'm going to give you the very worst licking you ever heard tell of.' He turned white as a sheet and dropped his gun. I thought he was a coward; but I guess it was conscience and luck. Now, wouldn't that come and get you?"
"Did you?" asked Orde.