Page:Rowland--In the shadow.djvu/302

 "I mean," answered Manning slowly, "that I shall take my horse and my rifle and conduct these men personally over my boundary. Then I shall warn them that if they return they will be shot on sight." Manning's machinelike control slipped a trifle beneath the strain. "G— d— it man, trash like that talk back to my sister! If they had each a wife and ten small children it should not save them! As far as this brute of a negro is concerned I am willing to give way to popular local sentiment, but as for my sister"

"Manning!" cried Giles, startled; for the face in front of him was livid with fury.

Manning laughed chokingly. "All right, Giles. Let's have a drink and go to bed."

The following morning Giles drove into Charleston to meet the naturalist.

"Well, Giles, I hardly expected to see you again so soon," said Leyden in his quiet voice. "Any news?"

"None; I say, it was mighty clever of you to know straight off that it was Dessalines."

"I could never make a living as I do, if I were to be balked by such a simple problem. Got a fresh team?"

"Yes; Manning said that there was no time to lose. The vultures are gathering already. I passed at least a dozen men with rifles on my way in."

"Like buzzards at the scent of blood. They love it. Never mind, we'll fool them. Tell me about it."

Giles told the story in his staccato way. Leyden listened attentively.

"It makes little difference whether the man was struck by Miss Moultrie's bullet or not," said Leyden. 292