e bottom and held the canoe motionless.
His eyes, usually lazy and indifferent, now blazed beneath the fleshy
brows with the madness of rage. He glared full in the eyes above the
rifle barrel and bellowed:

"Where's Annette! ---- you, Payne, give her up!"

Roger's heart leaped at the words. He felt an impulse to jump up and
shout; but he kept his cheek to the rifle butt and responded:

"Keep to your own side of those stakes, Garman, or I'll sink your
canoe."

"Answer me!" hissed Garman. "Answer me, or by God! the alligators will
make a meal of you!"

"You've got your answer. Keep off and keep out of danger."

"Give her up! Do you hear: give her up or she'll be sorry she ever was
born."

Roger pondered a moment for the right answer.

"Nothing doing," he said firmly.

"You admit she's come here then?"

"Keep your hands in sight, Garman," said Roger. "I'm taking no
chances--now."

"You hear, Fairclothe?" demanded Garman. "She's run away to this
squirt. She's been with him all night. By----! when I get hold of her
there won't be any talk of marriage--now."

"You've got to come and get her first, Garman," retorted Roger. If
Annette had fled she had undoubtedly gone to get away from Garman.
Garman had jumped to the conclusion she had gone to Payne. She had
not; and Roger reasoned that in some manner she had gone down the
river, whence she would eventually reach civilization. Every hour that
he could delay Garman from turning to this surmise would be valuable.

"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