d think clearly and impose a certain command upon himself; but
he understood exactly what it was most advisable for him to do, and he
set about it with a curious cold quietness which served his purpose
well.

There was a gasp of astonishment from one of the group as he stepped
forward into the light and looked with steady eyes at the man who had
spoken.

"Jake," he said, "you are a d---- liar."

It was what the others had expected, and they rose and stood back a
little from the pair, watching expectantly; for they recognized that
the affair was serious, and, though Nasmyth had their sympathy, an
impartial attitude was the correct one now. Jake was tall and lean and
muscular; but perhaps the dam-builder's quietness disconcerted him, or
his bitterness had only extended to the rancher.

"Now," Jake growled, "you light out of this. I don't know that I've
anything against--you."

Nasmyth had his back to the door, and he did not see the grizzled
Mattawa, who was supposed to be one of the strongest choppers about
the settlement, standing a little behind him, and watching him and
Jake attentively. Still, one of the others did, and made a sign to
Mattawa that any support he might feel disposed to offer his employer
would not be tolerated in the meanwhile. Nasmyth, however, realized
that there was only one course open to him, and he drew back one hand
as he met the uneasy eyes of the man in front of him.

"You are going to back down on what you said?" he asked, with incisive
quietness.

"Not a d---- word," the other man assured him.

"Then," said Nasmyth, "you must take the consequences."

He swung forward on his left foot, and there was a thud as his scarred
knuckles landed heavily in the middle of the detractor's face. He
struck with an unexpected swiftness and all the force that was in him,
for he had learned that the rules of the trial by combat are by no
means so hard and fast in British Columbia as they are in England. As
a matter of fact, it is not very frequently resorted to there; but
when men do fight, their one object is to disable their opponents as
soon as possible and by any means available.

Jake reeled backwards a pace or two, and the spectators said
afterwards there was no reason why Nasmyth should have permitted him
to recover himself, as he did. Two axes which the carpenters had been
using stood against the wall, and Jake caught up the nearest of them.
He swung the gleaming blade high, while the bl