she'll just go home an' work for me, like she ort, 'stead of livin' with
that there old-maid schoolma'am. I'm her paw, I am, an' I reckon I got
rights."

He started toward the girl, who drew closer to Brian, and begged
piteously: "Don't let him tech me! 'Fore God, Mr. Burns, he'll kill me,
sure!"

Brian drew the girl behind him as he faced the father with a brief, "Get
out!"

The mountaineer hesitated.

Brian went one step toward him: "Do you hear? Get out! And if you ever
show your dirty face in this vicinity again, I'll not leave a whole bone
in your worthless carcass!"

And Jap Taylor saw something in those Irish blue eyes that caused him to
start off down the mountain toward the river below Elbow Rock.

When he had placed a safe distance between himself and the man who
appeared so willing and able to make good his threat, Judy's father
turned, and, shaking his uninjured fist at Brian, delivered a volley
of curses, with: "I'll sure git you-all for this! Jap Taylor ain't
a-lettin' no man come between him an' his'n. I'll fix you, an' I'll fix
that there schoolma'am, too! She's nothin' but a damned old--"

But Brian started toward him, and Jap Taylor beat a hasty retreat.

"Never mind, Judy," said Brian, when the native had disappeared in the