e hand. Then
with head erect and a new light in his eyes, he turned and made his way
slowly toward the road.

CHAPTER XIX

WARMER THAN HE EXPECTED

Joe had gone but a short distance up the road when Ben Stubbles met him
in his car, and enveloped him in a cloud of dust. Ben was alone and he
scowled as the old man stepped aside to let him pass. Douglas, who was
watching, felt thankful that Joe was ignorant of the driver's part in
Jean's ruin.

Seeing Douglas standing under the tree, Ben drew up his car and asked
him what he was doing there.

"Attending to my own affairs," was the cool reply.

"Amusing the old man, eh? You must have a damn lot of work to do if
you can afford to waste your time that way."

"That, too, is my own affair, and not yours. Have you anything more to
say?"

"Sure I have. I want to know what you are doing here."

"Why shouldn't I be here?"

"But you received orders to leave."

"Who gave them?"

"Dad, of course."

"What right had he to order me away?"

"Oh, he rules here."

"Well, he doesn't rule me, and I shall leave when I get ready, and not
before."

"You'll change your tune before long, though."

"I will, eh?"

"Sure. You'll find this place so damn hot for you that you'll be glad
to get out."

"H'm," and Douglas gave a sarcastic laugh. "You have tried to make it
hot for me already, so I believe. How did you succeed?"

"What do you mean?" Ben demanded.

"You know as well as I do. You set two men upon me the other night, as
you were too much of a coward to face me yourself. Now you understand
my meaning. If you want to make things hot for me, step right out
here. Now is your chance."

"I wouldn't foul my hands fighting a thing like you," Ben snarled.

"No, simply because you know what would happen to you. You are too
cowardly to face a man, but you have no hesitation about ruining an
innocent girl, and leaving her to a miserable fate."

At these words Ben clutched the door of his car, threw it open and
stepped quickly out upon the road. His face was livid with rage, and
his body was trembling.

"Explain yourself!" he shouted. "How dare you make such a charge?"

Douglas at once stepped across to where Ben was standing, and looked
him full in the eyes.

"Is it necessary for me to explain?" he asked. "Surely you have not
forgotten what you did at Long Wharf in the city?"

"Do! What did I do?" Ben gasped, while his face turned a sickly hue