Page:Raymond Spears--Diamond Tolls.djvu/213

 mean the lad who went on down in your shantyboat, when you moved into my gasolene there."

"Mr. Man!" she turned on him with cold ferocity, "I shot you once for your insolence, and I'll shoot you again. You're a scoundrel. You stole those diamonds and rubies—what murder you did to do it I don't know, but you mind your business, now, and I'll mind mine. I don't know who you mean"

"What—Murdong!" Gost retorted. "Oh, I know. Roy Mahna was a-listenin', and his eyes are good at night, believe me."

Delia flushed. Her bluff, which was half truth, had failed. These two men knew, at least Gost knew. Urleigh was not Gost's kind. She knew that. She knew the reason Urleigh was there—he was daring much to find the truth of the story of the gems.

"You'n Murdong meet down in Spanish Moss Bend," Gost declared, with venom in his tones. "You got those sparklers, or he has. I'm tellin' you."

Urleigh was surprised at Gost's statements. He turned and looked at his partner, and showed his surprise. Gost felt the rebuke, and he turned to say:

"I wanted to break it to her, sudden! See? I'd 'a 'told you, but I kinda overlooked hit"

"After all I've done for you!" Urleigh exclaimed.