followers, and young Jasper had not the means to carry on the
feud. The famine had made corn dear. He could feed neither man
nor horse, and the hired feudsmen fell away, leaving the Lewallens
and the Braytons and their close kin to battle alone. So Jasper
avoided open combat and resorted to ambush and surprise; and,
knowing in some way every move made by the Stetsons, with great
daring and success. It was whispered, too, that he no longer cared
who owned what he might want for himself. Several dark deeds
were traced to him. In a little while he was a terror to good
citizens, and finally old Gabe asked aid of the Governor. Soldiers
from the settlements were looked for any day, and both factions
knew it. At the least this would delay the war, and young Jasper
had got ready for a last fight, which was close at hand.

Half a mile on the riders swerved into a wooded slope. There they
hid their horses in the brush, and climbed the spur stealthily. The
naked woods showed the cup-like shape of the mountains there-a
basin from which radiated upward wooded ravines, edged with
ribs of rock. In this basin the Stetsons were encamped. The smoke
of a fire was visible in the dim morning light, and the Lewallens
scattered to surround the camp, but the effort was vain. A picket
saw the creeping figures; his gun echoed a warning from rock to
rock, and with yells the Lewallens ran forward. Rome sprang from
his sleep near the fire, bareheaded, rifle in hand, his body plain
against a huge rock, and the bullets hissed and spat about him as
he leaped this way and that, firing as he sprang, and shouting for
his men. Steve Marcum alone answered. Some, startled from
sleep, had fled in a panic; some had run deeper into the woods for
shelter. And bidding Steve save himself, Rome turned up the
mountain, running from tree to tree, and dropped unhurt behind a