He shot a swift, terrified look toward the mouth of
the cave.
"Get up! It won't do you any good to yell. No one will hear you."
Courtney drew himself to his knees.
"It won't, eh? There's a gang of Secret Service men down there.
They'll blow your brains out if you--"
"There is no one down there," said the boy, a crooked smile on his
lips.
"I tell you there is," cried the other, desperately. "I heard them.
They trailed me here. They--"
"I guess I put one over on you, Courtney," interrupted Cale, his
voice low and deadly. "I am the fellow that chased you here. There's
nobody else. Oh, I know they're looking for you,--but they don't
know where you are. Nobody knows but me. I saw you sneaking across
that lot back yonder. I was down at the ferry--I saw--Rosabel--there."
His voice faltered. He steadied it with an effort before going on.
"I was too late. She wrote me. Then father telegraphed me--They let
me off. I came as soon as I could. I ran all the way from Hawkins.
I knew what had happened. She wrote me. But I thought maybe she'd
lose her nerve,--or, maybe you would do the right thing by her and
save her. I saw her down there on the dock. You did it. You got
her into trouble. You--"
"I don't know what you are talking about," cried the other.
"What's this you are saying? Have you lost your mind, Cale? My God,
boy,--I,--why, what sort of a beast do you think I am? I--I adored
her.
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