Jap stared at the note as if it had been a snake-tressed Medusa that turned him to stone. He stood rigid and paralyzed as Bill said, deadly calm:
"I am going to Barton, and I am going to shoot that dog."
"And after that?" Jap's voice was toneless.
"After that!" Bill broke out fiercely. "After that, what more?"
Jap drew Bill around to face him. Rivers of fire seemed suddenly to course through his body, and an unprecedented rage burned up within him.
"You are not going to Barton, and you are not going to meet that foolish light-o'-love at the section house," he said sternly.
"Who will stop me? Not you, Jap, for even if an angel from heaven tried to bar my way, I would brush it aside. I wanted to kill him when he stole her away and——"
Jap shook him angrily.
"No one stole her, Bill. Have you forgotten the insolent, flippant letter she wrote you?"
Bill shook Jap's hand from his shoulder.