"
"Explain, please," said Warburton. "We will judge your conduct."
It was a rather difficult moment for Neale, because his actions
regarding the two engineers now appeared to have been the result of
violent temper, rather than a dignified exercise of authority. But
then as he remembered Blake's offer and Coffee's threat the heat
thrilled along his nerves; and that stirred him to forceful
expression.
"I drove them both out of this camp."
"Why?" queried Warburton, sharply.
"Blake tried to bribe me, and Coffee--"
"One at a time," interrupted Warburton, and he thrust a strong hand
through his hair, ruffling it. He began to scent battle. "What did
Blake try to bribe you to do?"
"He didn't say. But he meant me to cover their tracks."
"So! ... And what did Coffee do?"
"He tried to pull a gun on me."
"Why? Be explicit, please."
"Well, he threatened me. And I laughed at him--called him names."
"What names?"
"Quite a lot, if I remember. The one he objected to was thief ... I
repeated that, and snatched some telegrams from his pocket. He tried
to draw his gun on me--and then I drove them both out of camp. They
got through safely, for they were seen in Benton."
"Sir, it appears to me you lost your head to good purpose," said
Warburton. "Now just what were the tracks they wanted you to cover?"
"I drew the original plans for Number Ten.
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