rmerly the egrets
were to be counted by millions, they were uncountable. They are good
breeders. But since their shooting has been 'stopped' officially there
hasn't been any noticeable increase in their numbers, which certainly
would have been the case if the shooting actually had been done away
with.

"Do you know why Garman wants to bust you? Principally because your
settling here and draining and developing that piece of drowned land
would be the opening wedge in the settlement of the district. You've
shown what can be done with this land. People would come flocking in,
farmers, real settlers, not the fugitives nor the crooked real-estate
men who so far have had a monopoly down here. The outlaws would have
to go. Egret shooting would have stop. Garman couldn't play king here
any longer. That's why he's out to bust you, Payne. Keep your eyes
skinned. He'll try to smash you in a hurry now."

"You are not going to try to get him then?" asked Roger slowly.

"No use. We'll break up his gang and stop the egret shooting, but
Garman----"

Davis shrugged his shoulders.

"Garman is too big!" said Roger. "He will still be cock-o'-the-walk
round here. Is that it?"

"Well, he won't have his gang," replied the detective.

"But he will still be--Garman."

"Well--you know what he is."

Roger nodded.

"He'll want to be boss of the district---- He'll try to hog your land."

"Hog is a good word there," ruminated Roger. But he was not thinking
about his land.

The arrival of Davis had in no way affected the situation as Roger had
suddenly seen it just before Higgins' shot had attracted his attention.

Garman had discovered that Annette was not at Payne's camp. Otherwise
he would have returned to get her. And this discovery meant that he
knew of her whereabouts and was taking steps to pursue her, to get her
into his power again. Perhaps he had even succeeded in doing so.

Roger slipped away from camp while supper was being prepared, and
returned to the dugout which he had left in the big ditch near the
river. Precious time had been lost through the arrival of Davis.
Garman, for the nonce a jungle beast running wild with the reek of rage
and lust about him, had had hours of opportunity to wreak his revenge.

Roger leaped into the dugout and paddled down the river toward Garman's
house. The place seemed dead and deserted as he stepped onto the dock,
and his heart sank with dismay. The Egret was gone