' I'm
comin' towards ye right now. Ef yore hands ain't high when I git's
thar, I aims ter kill ye."

She moved forward and the bully gave grudgingly back, but at that
instant the gigantic on-looker casually laid hand upon him by one
shoulder and flung him sidewise as casually as a terrier tosses a rat.
His manner was precisely that of a man who removes a chair which
obstructs his path.

"Stranger," said the titanic fellow in a pleasantly drawling
intonation, "I think I heered ye say ye wanted ther landlord. Ef ye'll
come with me I'll find him fer ye. A decent feller wouldn't hardly
relish this company nohow."

There had been in his form of address no masculine patronage proffering
rescue to the beset feminine, and looking up into a face which was
smiling with an engaging radiance of white teeth, Alexander nodded and
said only, "I'd be right obleeged ter ye."

Through a path that opened itself in silence for them, they went out of
a back door, but when they had gone, Brent saw in astonishment that Bud
Sellers was crouching with defiant eyes over Lute Brown as he slowly
regained his feet.

"Hev ye done hed enough?" demanded Bud in a voice of deadly calm and
absolute sobriety. "Because ef ye hain't, I'm hyar ter finish hit up
with ye."

"Air ye one of her beaus, too?" came the surly question and Bud
answered deliberately. "She don't tolerate no sweet-heartin', but
whilst I was crazed with licker I hurt her paw--an' I reckon I owes her
somethin'."

When the giant had returned he went nonchalantly back to his table as
though nothing had occurred, but Brent followed and joined him there.

"How did you come to be here, Halloway?" asked the city man in a
guarded and incredulous voice.

The tall man looked about him and then, since the drone of voices was
again gathering volume he replied: "Oh, ye're right liable ter meet up
with a driftin' lumberjack anywhar's at all."

After filling a disreputable pipe with tobacco crumbs he leaned a
little forward, then in lowered tones, from which every trace of
mountain dialect had abruptly departed he said:

"By gad, Brent, an episode that gives a man a new sensation--a new
thrill, in a world of threadbare ones--is worth a king's ranson. I've
seen the beauties of Occident and Orient but until now----"

A figure drifted near enough to overhear, and rising slowly Halloway
finish up:

"Wa'al, stranger, hit's mighty nigh my bed time. I reckon I'll santer
up ter my roo