slipped it into his pocket. I made a movement to pass on, then
stopped, with a faint dawning of discomfort. For the heavy figure
of the captain still blocked the path..

A dark flush had come into the man's face. His yellow teeth showed
between his parted lips. His eyes had a swimming brightness.

"What's your hurry?" he remarked, with a certain insinuating
emphasis.

I began to tremble.

"I am on my way back to camp, Captain Magnus. Please let me pass."

"It won't do no harm if you're a little late. There ain't no one
there keepin' tab. Ain't you always a-strayin' off with the
Honorable? I ain't so pretty, but--"

"You are impertinent. Let me pass."

"Oh, I'm impert'nent, am I? That means fresh, maybe. I'm a plain
man and don't use frills on my langwidge. Well, when I meets a
little skirt that takes my eyes there ain't no harm in lettin' her
know it, is there? Maybe the Honorable could say it nicer--"

With a forward stride he laid a hand upon my arm. I shook him off
and stepped back. Fear clutched my throat. I had left my revolver
in my quarters. Oh, the dreadful denseness of these woods, the
certainty that no wildest cry of mine could pierce them!