the house for her like a man, instead of
jumping on her out here in the woods!"

"Hit ain't none of your dad burned business as I can see," came the
sullen reply.

"I am making it my business, just the same," returned Brian.

He turned to the girl, who had drawn back a little behind him. "Judy,"
he said, kindly, "I think perhaps you better tell me about this."

"Pap, he was a-layin' for me in the bresh 'cause he dassn't come to the
house ter git me," said the girl, fearfully.

"But, why does he fear to come to the house?" persisted Brian.

"'Cause he done give me ter Auntie Sue."

"Gave you to Auntie Sue?" repeated the puzzled Brian.

Jap Taylor interrupted with, "I didn't sign ary paper, an'--"

"Shut up, you!" snapped Brian. "Go on, Judy."

"Hit was a year last corn-plantin'," explained the girl. "My maw, she
died. He used ter whip her, too. An' Auntie Sue was there helpin' weuns;
an' Tom Warden an' some other folks they was there, too; an' they done
fixed hit so that I was ter go an' live with Auntie Sue; an' pap, he
give me ter her. He sure did, Mr. Burns, an' I ain't a-wantin' ter go
with him, no more."

The poor girl's shrill monotone broke, and her twisted body shook with
her sobs.

"I didn't sign ary paper," repeated Judy's father, with sullen
stubbornness. "An' what's more, I sure ain't a-goin' ter. I 'lows as how
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