in but impenetrable curtain which separates him
from eternity, the salient characteristic of his being is unmasked and
stands forth, naked. If he be at heart a coward, even though he may
honestly never have suspected himself of cowardice, he will try to flee,
or cringe and grovel for mercy; if his soul is stayed upon the immortal
and everlasting truths, he will face what Fate may hold with the
resigned fortitude which was the martyrs'; but, if he is merely a man,
strong with the courage of the beast, refined and strengthened in the
fires of intellect, he will be more likely to stand his ground
unflinchingly and cast his defiance in the teeth of the danger which
threatens, wrathful, but unafraid.

Donald was of the latter breed. He made no move; but the cords and veins
in his muscular neck and hands swelled visibly, and his dark gray eyes
took on a steely glint, as they bored steadily into Judd's glowering
black ones.

Suddenly, with a deep oath, the mountaineer dropped the butt of his gun
to the ground. Both men breathed a deep sigh, and the latter said: "No,
I kaint shoot an unarmed man, even ef he _air_ a skunk. But hark ye. I
warns ye now fer the last time. Clar out uv this hyar mountain terday,
er go armed an' ready, fer, by Gawd A'mighty, I aims ter shoot ye dead
the next time I meets ye. Hit's yo' er me now."

When the other dropped his weapon, Donald had almost decided to make an
attempt to clear the atmosphere by telling him again that his suspicions
were utterly groundless and that, so far from having any intention of
stealing the affections of the mountain child whom Judd loved, he was
betrothed to another. But, at the challenge to fight, something, which
he could neither explain afterwards nor control then, swept away the
half-formed resolve, and the heat of primal hate sent a burning flush
through him and drove cool reason utterly from its throne.

"If you didn't have that gun, you damned coward, I'd come down there
this instant, and thrash you within an inch of your worthless life," he
shouted, heedless of consequences; too angry to care what might happen.
And simultaneously, spurred on by his own blind passion, he slid down
the bank and, with fists clenched, advanced on Judd. A yard ahead of him
bristled Mike, a canine fury with gleaming teeth bared and muscles
tensed for a spring. His master's quarrel was his also.

"Call off thet damned dawg, ef yo' don't want fer him ter git shot,"
raged the other,