"Well, by thunder! Won't he have to pay high for it?" There was excitement and feverish energy in Jude's voice now. "Maybe he'll fling a bone to you--but don't you see, son, you can hold off and make him pay, and pay and pay? "Now tell me, so true as you live, what was _you_ going down to St. Ange for?" "I was going down to"--Jude hesitated. "Well, I was tired of being hounded, and having to hide and starve. I was going down to get--what--I could--and no questions asked." A foolish laugh followed. Beside Jared's subtlety, Jude seemed a babbling infant with feeble aims. Jared was contemptuous. "Gosh darn it, Jude! It's good I fell across your path again. You might have thrown away the one, great, shining opportunity of your life. Listen to _my_ plans. You better stay where you are, and let me run this here show. I got the tracks all laid out. I'm sort o' inspired where it comes to plotting for them I love. I'm going to write a touching letter to her. It's going to state that Gaston is laid up from an accident in a hut, further up to the north. A lumberman is going to write the letter--catch on? and she's wanted up to Gaston's dying bedside. The lumberman is going to meet her at Laval's. When she's caught safe and sure, Jock Filmer--he's the go-between in all this--will get that information, or the part about her going away, to Gaston; then the game's in our hands. If Gaston means business, he'll pay what _we_ say. If he ain't sharp set as to a big figger, we've got Joyce; and by thunder! who's got a better right? Then we'll make tracks, after the spring freshet, to another place I know of where laws is stationary and folks ain't over keen, and where a handsome woman like Joyce will help. I've got money enough left from the wreck to tide us over, my son--unless Gaston planks down." All this completed Billy's demoralization. His teeth chattered louder, and for the life of him he could not control an audible sound, half sob, half sigh. But Jude was evidently as much overpowered as Billy, for the boy suddenly heard him emit an oath, and then a volley of questions designed to clear the air after Jared's storm of eloquence. "She'll come, all right." Jared had his answers ready. "It's an all-fired queer state of things down there to St. Ange. You and me ain't never struck Gaston's kind before. Joyce'll go when he calls, and don't you forget it--all I've got to do is to make the lumberman's letter real convincing.