and your killin' up folks and a-gittin' run
out o' the Turkey Tracks! Settle it as best ye may--I've said my last
word!"

Her breast heaved convulsively. Bitter, corroding tears burned in her
flashing eyes; rage, jealousy, thwarted passion, tenderness denied, and
utter terror of the outcome--the time after--all these tore her like wild
wolves, as she turned and fled swiftly up the path she had come.

The pale young fellow with the marred, stricken face, standing by the
mule, looked after her heavily. Those flying feet were carrying away from
him, out of his life, all that made that life beautiful and blest. Yet
Creed set his jaw resolutely, and facing about once more, addressed
himself to the situation as it was.

"Wade--Wade Turrentine!" he called. "Come out of there. I see you. Come
out and talk to me."

With all the composure in life Wade slouched into the opening of the
path.

"You've got good eyes," was his sole comment. Then, as the other seemed
slow to begin, "What might you want speech with me about?" he inquired.

"It's about Huldah," Creed opened the question volubly now. "You love
her, and she loves you. She came over to warn me because we are old
acquaintances and friends, and I guess she don't want you to get into
trouble. Is it true that her life is not safe if she stays here on the
mountain?"

Wade's pleasant hazel eyes narrowed and hardened.

"You're a mighty busy somebody about things that don't consarn ye," he
remarked finally.

"But this does concern me," Creed insisted. "I can't be the cause of
breaking up a match between you and Huldah----"

He would have gone further, but Wade interrupted shaking his head.

"No--I reckon you cain't. Hit'd take more than you to break up any match
I was suited with. Mebbe I don't want no woman that's liable to hike out
and give me away whenever she takes the notion."

"Oh, come now, Wade," said Bonbright, with good-natured entreaty in his
voice. "You know she wouldn't give you away. She didn't mean any harm to
you. I'll bet you've done plenty of things twice as bad, if Huldah had
the knowing of them."

"Mebbe I have," agreed Wade, temperately, and suddenly one saw the
resemblance to his father. "Mebbe I have--but ye see I ain't the one
that's bein' met up with right now. I ain't carin' which nor whether
about Huldy Spiller; but _you've_ got to walk yo'self from the Turkey
Tracks--and walk sudden and walk straight, Mr. Creed Bonbright--or you'll
come