While he thus sat upon the fallen man's body, reasoning with himself
what to do, the girl touched him lightly upon the arm.

"Let him go," she urged. "You wouldn't kill a man when he is down,
would you? That would be cowardly."

This appeal had an immediate effect, and slowly, though somewhat
reluctantly, Dane rose to his feet.

"He deserves to be killed," he growled. Then he touched the man with
the toe of his right foot. "Get up, you brute," he ordered.

This command was at once obeyed. The defeated assailant scrambled to
his feet, and started to move away. But Dane caught him roughly by the
arm, and faced him sharply around.

"Just a word," he began. "You get clear this time, you devil, whoever
you are. But if you lay hands on this young woman again I'll break
every bone in your body. You won't escape, for I am Dane Norwood, the
King's Arrow, and what I say I mean. Get out of this now as fast as
you can."

The next instant the man was gone, swallowed up by the darkness.

"Oh, how can I ever thank you enough?" the girl impulsively asked.
"You have saved me from that creature. I didn't know that he was here."

"Who is he?" Dane asked. "And where did he come from?"