are afraid to use it," she added.

"Am I?" He wheeled suddenly, and, on the instant, a deafening report
shattered the quiet of the woods. Then the smoke drifted slowly aside,
revealing the man and the girl face to face once more.

But although she still stood her ground, dark shadows had suddenly
painted themselves beneath her eyes, and the slight young breast beneath
the jaunty sports coat rose and fell unevenly. Within the shelter of her
coat-pockets her hands were clenched tightly.

"That was a waste of a good cartridge," she observed quietly. "You only
fired in the air."

Black Brady glared at her.

"If I'd liked, I could 'ave killed 'ee as easy as knockin' a bird off a
bough," he said sullenly.

"You could," she agreed. "And then I should have been dead and you would
have been waiting for a hanging. Of the two, I think my position would
have been the more comfortable."

A look of unwilling admiration spread itself slowly over the man's face.

"You be a cool 'and, and no mistake," he acknowledged. "I thought to
frighten you off by firin'."

The girl nodded.