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Rh he had done too often of late. He caught her arm, speaking high and thickly.

"Where have you been? Where have you been, Jenny? I wanted you. Was that Heriot with you? Jenny, he's going to get me cornered, that fellow. He's going to get me if you can't switch him off. He's going"

"Hush!" She drew him into the sitting-room and shut the door. "What is it? Why are you afraid of Mr. Heriot?"

Ducane dropped his red face in his hands and whimpered.

"I can't tell you," he said. "I can't, Jenny, girl. There are too many in it besides me. And I promised. I—I don't know what to do. We might fool Tempest. He knows something, likely. But the other fellow's the devil. You could never bounce him and you could never square him. A man hasn't the ghost of a chance with him. But a woman could handle him. I've heard what he's like. You could keep him off me"

"Stop!" said Jennifer. She struck her shut hands down by her sides, and her teeth snapped together. "Oh, you coward!" she cried. "You coward! You coward!"

Rage and fear whipped Ducane up on his feet.

"Don't you take that tone with me," he blustered. "I'm doing my share, and why shouldn't you do yours? Damn it, is it all to fall on me? If I can manage to stand it out a couple more months we'll skip, and then they can take Robison if they like."

"Oh! Robison is what they call a fence for you, is he?"

"Don't I tell you there are more than me—Jenny, don't look at me that way, my girl. I love you. I—I can't get along without you, Jenny. By, I love you too much for that. Don't be mad with me, little girl."

He came to her unsteadily with his hands out. Jennifer stood very still. In some strange way Ducane's misery seemed to pass her by, leaving her cold. She found herself wondering how Dick would behave if any man tried to corner him. Or—what was it Harry had said? He couldn't be bounced or squared, but a woman could