ad, defiance and scorn written on his handsome
face.

"It is a clean case of murder, at best!" he cried, his voice ringing out
clearly. "We deserve a fair trial--we demand it!"

"Wal," drawled the boy moonshiner, "I warned you-uns that ther more yer
demanded, ther less yer got. Ye seem ter fergit that."

"We're in fur it, Frankie, me b'y!" groaned Barney.

"If we had our revolvers, we'd give them a stiff fight for it!" grated
Frank, fiercely. "They would not murder us till a few of them had eaten
lead!"

Muriel seemed to nod with satisfaction.

"You-uns has stuff, an' when I tell yer that ye'll have ter sta' ter
vote ur take chances with ther cards, I don't judge you'll hesitate.
It's one ur t'other."

"Then, make it the cards," said Frank, hoarsely. "That will give us an
even show, if the draw is a fair one."

"I'll see ter that," assured Muriel. "It shall be fair."

Without another word, he turned and swiftly slipped out of the room.
They heard him bar the door, and then they stood looking into each
other's faces, speechless for a few moments.

"It's a toss-up, Barney," Frank finally observed.

"Thot's pwhat it is, an' th' woay our luck is runnin' Oi think it's a
case av heads they win an' tails we lose."

"It looks that way," admitted Frank. "But there is no way out of it.
We'll have to grin and bear it."

"Pwhat do yez think av thot Muriel?"

"He's an enigma."

"Worse than thot, me b'y--he's a cat's cradle toied in a hundred an'
sivintane knots."

"It is impossible to tell whether he is friendly or whether he is the
worst foe we have in these mountains."

"Oi wonder how Kate Kenyon knew where to foind him so quick?"

"I have thought of that. She must have found him in a very short time
after we were taken from the cabin."

"An' she diskivered thot we hed been taken away moighty soon afther we
wur gone, me b'y. Thot is sure."

"Remember one of the horses neighed. It may have aroused Kate and her
mother, and caused them to investigate."

"Loikely thot wur th' case, fer it's not mesilf thot would think she'd
kape shtill an' let ther spalpanes drag us away av she knew it."

"No; I believe her utterly fearless, and it is plain that Wade Miller is
not the only one in love with her."

"Who ilse?"

"Muriel."

"Mebbe ye're roight, Frankie."

"It strikes me that way. The fellow tried to lead me into a trap--tried
to get me to boast of a mash on her. I could see his eyes gleam with
jealousy.