"What does this mean, Broussard?" he growled savagely. "Where did you
pick up that fellow?"
CHAPTER XIV
THE CONFESSION
I caught the wicked, snaky gleam of the Creole's eyes. All his early
suspicion of me had revived instantly.
"At the landing," he hastened to explain. "How could I tell? He said
he knew you, M'sieur."
"Oh, he did, hey! Well, all I know about him is that he blew in here
last night with a woman; claimed to be young Henley, and took
possession of the place. I reckon it 's about time I saw some papers
to prove what yer are, young feller, 'for yer go snoopin' round at
daylight. What's yer game enyhow?"
The man's bluster gave me my clew. The thought suddenly occurred to me
that, for some reason, he was more afraid of me than I of him. And if
I met him on the same ground he was of the disposition to give way
first.
"You can see my authority, Coombs, any time you are ready to exhibit
your own," I returned coolly, leaning back against the side of the
cabin, and staring him straight in the eyes. "I 've got more occasion
to question you, you big brute, than you have me. Who is going to
prevent my walking about these grounds? You? Just try the experiment,
and see how it comes out. If you are the overseer here, then it is my
money that is paying your wages, and from the look of things," and I
swept my hand toward the surrounding weeds, "you 'll not hold the job
long at that.
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