t seems to me as if that don't amount to much.
Why should this man want to hurt me?"

"Hold on. This man Shard's mother was sister to the Vaughn who killed
your father, and whom my brother had fought on account of it. Don't
you see? When Shard learns who you are, his Vaughn blood is more than
apt to prompt him to do you some harm."

"They don't shoot people in the town the way we do in the mountains,
aunt. I've read that the law is too strong for that."

"There's other ways of hurtin' a poor boy 'sides takin' a gun to him.
If he chose, he might harm you in other ways. I've heard it said that
folks with plenty of money can do 'most anything in the city."

"Well, aunt, I'm much obliged to you for letting me know. If I strike
Columbia, and meet up with Captain Shard, I shall certainly remember
what you say."

"Good night, then. Don't tell Dopples what I've said. He's a thinkin'
the world of Shard. I like him, too; but then he don't know I'm a
Granger, I reckon."

After Mrs. Dopples retired, Ralph soon fell asleep. When he wakened
again daylight was at hand, and Mr. Dopples was kindling a fire.

Breakfast came early, then Ralph bade his kindly friends farewell, and
resumed his journey as the sun was peeping over the easterly summits of
the Blue Ridge.

"Don't forget to see Shard," called the shock headed man, as the boy
reached the public road. "He'll help you out."

"I may see Shard," thought Ralph; "but I'll be careful how he sees me.
I'm going to get out of the range of this feud if I have to travel
clear to the seacoast."

As he had a lunch along--given him by Mrs. Dopples--he did not stop
anywhere for dinner, but trudged resolutely on at a three mile an hour
gait.

His young limbs, hardened by constant mountain climbing, did not tire
readily, while his experience of traveling enabled him to keep the
general course he wished to go, notwithstanding the branch trails and
the many windings caused by the ruggedness of the country.

The latter portion of the afternoon was occupied in climbing a long
mountain range that overtopped most of the others in sight. The sun
was nearly setting as he reached the summit; then he uttered an
exclamation of astonishment.

Behind him was a confused jumble of peaks and ridges as far as the eye
could reach. It was the region he had left--his own native wilds.

Before him stretched an undulating panorama of plain, valley, and
gentle hills. There were patches of