rifle from its place, and the steel flashed in the moonlight and
ceased in a shining line straight at the mountaineer's breast.

"Look hyeh, Sherd Raines," she said, in low, unsteady tones, " I
know you air religious, 'n' I know as how, when y'u give yer word,
you'll do what you say. Now, I want ye to hold up yer right hand
and sw'ar that you'll never tell a livin' soul that you know whar dad
is a-hidin'."

Raines did not turn his face, which was as emotionless as stone.

Air ye goin' to sw'ar? " she asked, with fierce impatience. Without
looking at her, he began to speak-very slowly:

"Do ye think I'm fool enough to try to gain yer good-will by
a-tellin' on yer dad? We were on the mountains, him 'n' me, we
seed you 'n' the furriner. Yer dad thought hit was a spy, 'n' he
whipped up his gun 'n' would 'a' shot him dead in his tracks ef I
hadn't hindered him.

Does that look like I wanted to hurt the 'furriner? I hev knowed
yer dad was up in the mountains all the time, 'n' I hev been a-totin'
things fer him to eat. Does that look like I wanted to hand him
over to the law?"

The girl had let the rifle fall. Moving away, she stood leaning on it
in the shadow, looking down.

"You want to know what call I hev to watch ye, 'n' see that no harm
comes to ye. Yer dad give me the right. You know how he hates