"You've got to come and take her," he repeated. "I won't give her up now." "You hear him, Fairclothe?" sneered Garman. "What do you think of your daughter now? Nicely brought up, nicely watched, I must say. You poor--fool! You'd better jump in right here and drown yourself. He's had your Annette all night; now he's going to keep her at the point of a rifle. I suppose you intend to make the conventional restitution by marrying her, Payne? By----! I'll spoil that--I'll take her away from you. I'll turn her back to you when I'm tired of her. Then you can marry her, Payne! Give her up. I'll wipe you out, including her, before I'll let her get away like this." "Come and get her," repeated Roger. Fairclothe found his voice. "I demand that you return my daughter, young man." "I am not holding her against her will. She is free to return to you if she wishes to do so." "I demand that I be allowed to speak to her." "I cannot grant that demand." "You refuse to allow me to communicate with her?" "If she wishes to communicate with you I won't prevent it." "You young scoundrel!" Roger did not reply. "If you have harmed my little girl, I warn you you will be punished to the utmost." "You talk like a parrot!" snarled Garman. "Talk sense--if you can." Fairclothe cleared his throat. "Did my daughter Annette come to you of her own free will?" Roger hesitated before replying. "No!" he said defiantly. "Ah! Garman, Garman, what did I tell you--what did I tell you? I knew Annette never would leave you of her own free will!" "You ---- impudent squirt!" said Garman, "You mean to tell me you---- No, you wouldn't be man enough to steal her. Who brought her to you?" Again Roger debated. "If you come and get her as you threaten to do, you may find out." Garman's rage was ghastly to behold. The flesh of his face seemed to swell in puffs, his nostrils widened, his eyes seemed to recede beneath the fleshy brows. He held up his great hairy hands, closing and opening them; but enough reason remained in his rage-drunken mind to comprehend the iciness of the blue eyes above the rifle barrel. "By----! Fairclothe, I believe you did it yourself," he cried, venting his rage on the helpless Senator. "Don't try to talk back. I believe you did it, you and that dried-up, gold-digger of a sister. But by----! if you have you'll be yanked out of the Senate and go to jail, Fairclothe! Don't talk! I'm sick of you." He jerked his paddle from the bottom and the current gently drew the canoe back downstream. Roger forced a smile of false triumph upon his face. He must not let Garman turn elsewhere to look for Annette. "Licked, eh, Garman?" he taunted. "I'll go back and tell Annette about it. We'll enjoy it together." The canoe was drifting down the bend. "And come in a hurry, Garman, if you intend to get her; because if you wait long you won't find her here."