press, the people saw a stranger, a well-dressed young giant, spring
from the sidewalk, and run toward the two figures in the middle of the
street. But Dan had not arrived upon the scene soon enough. Almost as he
left the pavement the blow fell, and Denny lay still--a crumpled, pitiful
heap in the dirt.

Jud, flushed with this second triumph, turned to face the approaching
stranger.

"Come on, you pink-eyed dude! I've got some fer you too. Come git your
medicine, you--"

Dan was coming--coming so quickly that Jud's curses had not left his
lips when the big fellow reached him. With one clean, swinging blow the
man from Windy Cove was lifted fairly off the ground to fall several
feet away from his senseless victim.

There was an excited yell from the crowd. But Jud, lean, loose-jointed
and hard of sinew, had the physical toughness of his kind. Almost
instantly he was on his feet again, reaching for his hip pocket with a
familiar movement. And there was a wild scramble as those in front sought
cover in the rear.

"Look out! Look out!"--came from the crowd.

But the mountain bred Dan needed no warning. With a leap, cat-like in
its quickness, he was again upon the other. There was a short struggle,
a sharp report, a wrenching twist, a smashing blow, and Jud was down
once more, this time senseless. The weapon lay in the dust. The bullet
had gone wide.