The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-05-03
The Threat.

The Threat.
"Well met, Mrs. Harvard" was
Belknap's greeting.
His teeth CLEANED at her beneath
the ~close-cropped black moustache,
and his oddly brilliant eyes glistened
with a suggested menace as he smiled
upon her cody, for all the world as
if he knew himself to be thoroughly
master of the situation.
1t was with difficulty that RATHER
inc repressed a visible shudder.
The man had become utterly hate
full to her, and strangely menacing.
It vas as if he held a physical threat
over her head. She controlled her.
self with difficulty, and compelled
her voice to calmness while she re-
piled, with entire remoteness, with
the air and attitude of addressing an
entire stranger:
THAT is as you elect to regard it..
Mr.. Belknap-if that is your name.
l am going, now, to ask my husband,
and the four gentlemen with whom
you played poker, to go with me to
the library. 1t is my purpose to tell
them, plainly and unequivocally, ev-
erything that | saw when I looked
between the portieres, and to describe
your conduct since then also-unless
you choose to change your mind again
and leave inquest now, at once"
He made no attempt to interrupt
her. He permitted her to finish what
she had to say without changing his
attitude or altering his demeanor;
nor did the wolfish smile leave his
face. IF anything, the glitter inhis
eyes became more hooking and in
solent-and threatening.
Brave words, Mrs. Harvard" he
responded coldly, retaining the inscru-
table smile as he quoted the words
he had spoken to her a half-hour
earlier at the summerhouse on the
edge OF the lawn. Then with a bare
ly perceptible pause, he added, with
menacing meaning: 81 shall moi
change my mind about going away;
L shall not go. You will change
your mind about what you have just
threatened to do, for-you will think
better of It."
He had been standing thus far be.
tween her and the stairway, but with
the close of his statement he steppet
aside, leaving her ample room to pass
him if she wished.
Go ahead" he said calmly. "i
you have the courage to take the hi
IN your teeth, and run; but let m,
beg that you will not forget that
hold the reins, that a curb is gen
orally regarded as an instrument O
torture and-that L am a merciles
driver when l encounter factiousness
Go ahead, if you like. Call you
husband and the others to tn
library. Speak your little piece" III
shrugged his shoulders and permit
ted himself to low chuckle before h
added: "But unless you are fully pre-
pared to face the consciousness o
such a proceeding, / strongly advis
you not to do So" !.
Katherine should have taken his a
his word and gone; but she did moi
ohe should have carried out he
threat to the end; but she hesitatet
She would have passed him by with
!; out another word; but-she ternpoY
Ized. Even she, who was not give
, to temporizing.
I She still faced him unflinchinpl,
1t is true; but she STAYED. Their
was about her not one outward sio
= OF fear or misgiving; but Belkna
knew that both were present in he
e. heart and brain, else she WOULD hav
left him,
Could she have suspected, even. N
: motley, how greatly the game he wa
T playing repended upon her not takin
0 him at his word-how much il d.
: pended upon his success in instislin
s IN her that nameless dread of som,
e thing intangible, burt threatening
could she have guessed that thre.
{ fourths Of his insolent effortery ws
e pure bluff that he had feared 81
3 might not fall. for" she would has
passed him then, with head hirl
e would have summoned her husbar
e and her friends, and denounced Co,
rad Belknap for what be was. Il
. stead
= what do you mean" she d
d manded. Sam I TO understand In,
you dare to threaten me p"
oil Precisely that, Mrs. Harvard. "
a. have threatened nae; I give yen ba.
II threat f0r threat. I am threakenir
I, you-wikh the consequences of VIII
ycu might still very foolishly 10. 50
ss You threaten me-with what I?
gS lie shrugged again, took out
q cigarette care, selected one frcnn
azad, Answ@red:
lei u have just told you; With i
Consequences of aa extremely 1cuIf
lei within eAst yen ssSll ene1xsasn. d