Blackmail, if you like, Mrs. Eyre, and not of the most polite
kind."
"For me," whispered Io.
"He held that old carrion-buzzard, Bussey, up at the muzzle of The
Patriot as if it were a blunderbuss. It was loaded to kill, too. And
then," pursued Edmonds, "he paid the price. Marrineal got out his little
gun and held him up."
"Held Ban up? What for? How could he do that? All this is a riddle to
me, Mr. Edmonds."
"Do you think you really want to know?" asked the other with a touch of
grimness. "It won't be pleasant hearing."
"I've got to know. Everything!"
"Very well. Here's the situation. Banneker points his gun, The Patriot,
at Bussey. 'Be good or I'll shoot,' he says. Marrineal learns of it,
never mind how. He points _his_ gun at Ban. 'Be good, or I'll shoot,'
says he. And there you are!"
"But what was his gun? And why need he threaten Ban?"
"Why, you see, Mrs. Eyre, about that time things were coming to an issue
between Ban and Marrineal. Ban was having a hard fight for the
independence of his editorial page. His strongest hold on Marrineal was
Marrineal's fear of losing him. There were plenty of opportunities open
to a Banneker. Well, when Marrineal got Ban where he couldn't resign,
Ban's hold was gone. That was Marrineal's gun.
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