Page:Arthur Stringer - Gun Runner.djvu/214

 everything—he simply lives by fight and friction and opposition."

"But think of his power!"

"I don't think we need to, when we remember he's nothing but a whisky-tippling and saturnine misanthrope."

"Still, couldn't he be bought over, if the bribe were made big enough? As big as Ganley could afford to make it?"

"I don't pretend to knowledge as to what a man will do when he's tempted enough," answered McKinnon, as he fixed his absent and studious eyes on the troubled woman. "But something instinctively tells me Captain Yandel is not going to be our danger-point." He was silent for a moment or two, for her question had sent his ever-active mind off on a new tangent.

"I must be the one to temporise with him and keep him guessing until it's too late!"

"But it would only make things worse, in the end."

"Could they be any worse?"

"Perhaps not, but can you expect Ganley to trust you now?"

"I don't think he quite understands, yet. And I'll go to him and give him back his revolver. It's no use to me—and I've noticed he carries a second gun."