Page:Frank Packard - Greater Love Hath No Man.djvu/210

 excitement to the tip of his shaggy tail, the Irish setter obeyed so far as to drop into a low and prolonged growl—but now Varge leaned coolly back against the tree—he had recognised the man.

Another instant and Doctor Kreelmar, puffing and blowing from his short run, had reached the spot.

"Ha!" exclaimed the little doctor fiercely. "So I've got you, have I! I had a suspicion that was what Briggs was after, so I lost no time in following him. Now then, sir, march to that buggy and get in! Quick now! No shillyshallying about it—back you go to the penitentiary!"

Varge's only movement was to shake his head.

"I think not," he said calmly.

"What!" snapped the little man ferociously. "You refuse—you resist!"

Varge smiled at him quietly.

"Yes," he said.

"Hum!" said Doctor Kreelmar. He pulled out his handkerchief and mopped his face unnecessarily. "Hum!" he repeated. "Refuse, eh?—consarned fool if you didn't! You could make a mouthful of me—I've done all I could—a great load off my conscience—hum! Briggs, keep a civil tongue in your head—we're in the hands of the host of the Midianites and you're no Gideon! Well, sir, you've caused a pretty uproar over yonder, a pretty uproar! About the only person who hasn't something to say is Kingman—and he can't because I've got his jaw in a sling."

"Kingman, yes," said Varge quickly. "I hope—" "I looked for a compound fracture at least, when I heard you'd hit him," said Doctor Kreelmar, in a