When the car stopped she jumped out, avoiding Riever's offered assistance. Riever said to the chauffeur:
Pen was horribly afraid. Her instinct was to dart through the door, slam it in his face, and turn the key. But flight was too abject. If she yielded him ascendancy like that, she could never get it back again. She said to herself while her teeth chattered: "I'm not afraid of him! I'm not afraid of him! If I stand my ground I have nothing to fear!"
The car went back. Riever stepped up on the porch by the two boxes, his head sunk. Pen stood there.
"You tricked me!" he said with a violent gesture, but taking care not to raise his voice. "You said he'd gone from here! He's been here ever since! You're hiding him now! What did you go to town for to-day? What was in those packages you made me bring home in my car, a disguise for him?"
Pen was not dismayed by this. On the contrary as soon as he began to speak the man lost his curious, animal, impressiveness. Seeing him beside himself, Pen began to feel strong again.
"I left the packages in the boat," she said scornfully. "No doubt by this time Delehanty has examined them."
"What is this man to you?" demanded Riever.
"I've already told you. No more than any poor hunted creature."
"Swear that he's not your lover!" he cried.
"Then he is your lover! You're keeping him close, I daresay. You don't shiver when he touches you!"
A great anger came to Pen's assistance. "You fool!" she cried. "Your disgusting money has turned your head! Who do you think you are to speak this way to me? I owe you nothing. Neither oaths nor explanations. Nothing!"
Riever could not stand up under it. His chin sunk, his body twisted. As a matter of fact he simply could not face the thought that the man he hated so had won the woman he desired. He snatched at any hope.
"Well ... if you're not hiding him, where is he?" he mumbled.
"He walked up the Neck road while you were searching the shores."
"Oh God, if I could believe you!" groaned Riever.
"Well, I can't help you," said Pen. She saw that with every word she was regaining the upper hand, and her heart was strong.
A cajoling note crept into Riever's voice. "Well, you couldn't do him any further good by lying. If he's anywhere near we're bound to get him in the morning. Within an hour Delehanty 'll send a party by boat up to the head of Back Creek. They'll form a line across the Neck. At dawn we stretch another line across this end and close up. He can't escape between them."