the road.

"I wonder if he'll go to Island Lake?" he mused. "If he does, Gabe
needn't go, an' so he won't want me. I'd rather be hidin' around in
the bushes to see the fun. I'd like to see John an' Randall in a
stand-up fight, I surely would. But mebbe it'd be better fer John to
go back to the island an' not find his sweetheart. Say, it 'ud be
great to watch him ramp an' tear around."

A cry of pain and fright from the house nearby startled him. Wheeling
sharply around, he saw that the front door was open and the form of a
woman was falling down the rickety steps. Surprised beyond measure,
Eben hurried forward until he reached the prostrate woman. She was
moaning and sobbing bitterly, and making no effort to rise.

"What's the matter?" Eben asked, bending over her. "Are ye hurt?"

"Yes, yes," the woman wailed. "He hit me, and kicked me out of the
house."

"Who did?" Eben straightened himself up, while his hands clenched hard.
"Who hit ye?"

"Gabe, of course. But don't go in; he might kill you. He's in a
terrible rage."

With a bound Eben was through the door and into the house. The room
was a sight to behold. Chairs and tables were upset, broken dishes
were lying on the floor, and several frightened, half-dressed children
were huddled in one corner. In the middle of the room stood the master
of the house, his moon-like face red with anger. He retreated a few
steps as Eben appeared.

"Did you do that?" the latter demanded, shaking his right fist
menacingly before Grimsby.

"Yes I did," was the surly reply. "And it's none of your d----
business what I do in my own house. Get out of this."

Eben's only reply was to seize Gabe by his coat collar, and yank him
suddenly forward. Then he shook him as a dog would shake a rat, while
Grimsby filled the house with his howls of distress. He was a
veritable coward at heart, and in Eben's hands he was as helpless as a
child.

"Ye'll kill me, ye'll kill me!" he wailed. "Fer God's sake, let up."

"I want to kill ye," his captor roared. "Yer not worth livin'. Take
that, an' that, an' that."

Eben had lost complete control of himself now. The fury of his passion
was let loose, and he shook and thumped his victim unmercifully.
Grimsby's fear increased to terror, and he made frantic efforts to free
himself. He even fought and bit, but all in vain. Eben held him firm,
and at last pinning him with his body upon the floor he began to deal
blow after