You know why. We
won't go into that. I happen to know he afterwards paid her a lot of
money for her interest in the business. When she tells me it was a
square transaction I'll believe it, but not before."
He paced the floor, his hands in his coat pockets, his brows drawn
down in a thoughtful scowl.
"You can stop me, I suppose, by having me locked up--but you can't
keep me there forever. I'll get out some time. I don't say I'm going
to shoot Bob Grand. I want you all to bear witness to this statement:
whatever I do to him will be with these two hands. See 'em? Don't they
look competent? He didn't use weapons on me, and I'm not going to use
'em on him. It's just a case of who has the best hands in this little
game."
"Why, man, it would be cowardly in you to put your strength against
his. You could crush him," groaned David.
Braddock smiled, almost joyously. "Won't it be a pretty sight? My
hands on that fat neck of his! Ha!"
"And the 'angman's rope on that neck of yours," put in Joey, wiping
his moist forehead.
"That's not the point," said Thomas Braddock.
He picked up his hat, which he had cast upon a chair, and, without
another word to either of them--no word of thanks to Ruby, no word of
appreciation to David, no word of gratitude to Joey--he strode out
into the hall, through the door and down the steps.
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