e, to get it behind me, to forget it--so I let
him go."

"I don't believe I'd have done that. Seems to me I'd have had to blow
off steam," Bob commented.

Orde smiled reminiscently.

"I blew off steam," [A] said he. "It was rather fantastic; but I
actually believe it was one of the most satisfactory episodes in my
life. I went around to his place--he lived rather well in bachelor
quarters, which was a new thing in those days--and locked the door and
told him just why I was going to let him off. It tickled him hugely--for
about a minute. Then I finished up by giving him about the very worst
licking he ever heard tell of."

[Footnote A: See "The Riverman."]

"Was that what you told him?" cried Bob.

"What?"

"Did you say those words to him?--'I'm going to give you the very worst
licking you ever heard tell of'?"

"Why, I believe I did."

Bob threw back his head and laughed.

"So did I!" he cried; and then, after a moment, more soberly. "I think,
incidentally, it saved my life."

"Now what are you driving at?" asked Orde.

"Listen, this is funny: Newmark had me kidnapped by one of his men, and
lugged off to a little valley in the mountains. The idea was to keep me
there until after the trial, so my testimony would not appear. You see,
none of our side knew I had that testimony. I hadn't told anybody,
because I had been undecided as to what I was going to do."

Orde whistled.

"I got away, and had quite a time getting home. I'll tell you all the
details some other time. On the road I met Newmark. I was pretty mad, so
I lit into him stiff-legged. After a few words he got scared and pulled
a gun on me. I was just mad enough to keep coming, and I swear I believe
he was just on the point of shooting, when I said those very same
words: 'I'm going to give you the very worst licking you ever heard
tell of.' He turned white as a sheet and dropped his gun. I thought he
was a coward; but I guess it was conscience and luck. Now, wouldn't that
come and get you?"

"Did you?" asked Orde.

"Did I what?"

"Give him that licking?"

"I sure did start out to; but I couldn't bring myself to more than shake
him up a little."

Orde rose, stretching his legs.

"What are your plans now?"

"To see Baker. I'm going to tell him that on the first indications of
his making trouble I'm going to enter complaint for bribery against
_both_ him and Mr. Welton. You see, I was there too. Think it'll work?"

"The best way is to