Part 59 (1/2)

”That's a lie!” thought Joe. Now that he had learned what he wanted to know, he took no further pains to hide his sneers. ”I'll tell Smitty that Forest's got a fine girl for a daughter,” he said, rising.

Musq'oosis's eyes followed him a little anxiously into the house.

The dinner-hour was drawing near, but none of the boarders had arrived yet. Joe found Bela putting the plates and cups on the table. Seeing him, she stood fast without fear, merely glancing over her shoulder to make sure her retreat was open.

”h.e.l.lo!” said Joe, affecting a boisterous air. ”Am I the first?”

She declined to unbend. ”You got be'ave if you comin' here,” she said coldly.

”Got to, eh? That's a nice way to speak to a friend.”

”If you don' act decent you can't come here no more,” she said firmly.

”How are you going to stop me?” he demanded truculently.

”I tell the ot'er boys,” she said coolly. ”They keep you out.”

”You won't do that,” he returned, sneering.

”You find out pretty soon.”

”You won't do that,” he repeated. ”Because I got something on you now.”

She looked at him sharply. Then shrugged scornfully. ”Everybody know all about me.”

”There's something Sam don't know yet.”

In spite of herself, she was betrayed into a sharp movement. Joe laughed.

”What do you mean?” she demanded.

It was his humour to be mysterious. ”Never mind. I know what I know.”

Bela unconcernedly resumed her work. ”You jus' bluffin',” she said.

”Oh, I'm bluffing, am I?” snarled Joe. He was the picture of a bad-tempered schoolboy. ”If you don't treat me right you'll see if I am. I'll out with the story to-night before them all, before Sam.”

”What story?” asked Bela. ”You crazy, I t'ink.”

”The story of how you're paying Sam's wages.”

Bela stopped dead, and went pale. She struggled hard to command herself. ”It's a lie!” she said.

”Like fun it is!” cried Joe, triumphing. ”I got it bit by bit, and pieced it all together. I'm a little too clever for you, I guess. I know the whole thing now. How your father left the money to Musq'oosis when he died, and Musq'oosis bought the team from Mahooley, and made him give it to Sam to drive. I can see Sam's face when I tell that and hear all the fellows laugh.”

Bela abandoned the useless attempt to bluff it out. She came opposite to where he was sitting, and put her hands on the table. ”If you tell that I kill you!” she said softly.

Joe leaned back. ”Pooh! You can't scare a man with threats like that.