"I can hit you harder than
that, and in a tenderer spot."
He returned Harlan's amazed stare.
"I've been keeping my eyes open down here, Mr. Thornton, and I kept my
ears open up in Fort Canibas." His face grew hard. "D--n you, I'll never
forget what you did to me! I'm coming right out open with you. I'd like
to do you in return. I can do it. But I'll give you a chance; it's for
my interest to do so, providing you buy the let-off. If you don't stand
by me in that tax rebate, I'll launch the story. What I lose in support
I'll more than make up in seeing you squirm. I'm pretty frank, ain't I?
Well, I play strong when I've got enough trumps under my thumb."
"Spinney, I've had enough of that kind of talk. What do you mean?"
"Don't you have the least idea?"
"Not the slightest."
"A good bluff! Well, I know about the girl up country! See? It's a bad
story to be passed up to another girl. And I know how to get the details
to my friend Presson's daughter in time to spoil your ambition in that
quarter. Now, how about that?"
They were in one corner of the State-House lobby, and the presence of a
hundred men about them probably saved Spinney from a beating there and
then.
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