iantly, and her brave attitude,
uncompromising, seemed to lower the flood-gates of his anger. His
cheeks flushed, and he lowered his head still farther, and stared more
coldly from under the brim of his square-set hat. There were not many
men who would have faced Bully Presby when he was in that mood; but
before him stood his daughter, as brave and uncompromising as he, and
fortified by something that he had allowed to run dwarf in his soul--a
white conscience, burning undimmed, a true knowledge of what was right
and what was wrong. Her inheritance of brain and blood had all the
strength of his, and her fearlessness was his own. She did not waver,
or bend.

"It must be paid back," she reiterated, a little more firmly.

He suddenly jerked himself to his feet, his tremendous shoulders
thrust forward across the desk, and raised his hand with a commanding
finger.

"Joan," he ordered harshly, "you get out of here. Go to your room!
Leave this affair to this man and me. This is none of your business.
Go!"

"I shall not!" she defied him.

"I think it is best," Dick said, taking a step toward her. "I can
take care of my own and Mr. Sloan's interests. Please go."

The word "Joan" almost slipped from his lips. She faced him, and
backed against the door. "Yours and Mr. Sloan's interests? What of
mine? What of my conscience? What of my own father? What of me?"

She stepped hastily to the desk, and tapped on it with her firm
fingers, and faced the mine master.

"I said you must pay!" she declared, her voice rising and trembling in
her stress. "And you must! You shall!"

He was in a fury of temper by now, and brought the flat of his heavy,
strong hand down on its top, sending the inkwell and the electric
stand lamp dancing upward with a bound.

"And I shall do as I please!" he roared. "And it doesn't please me to
pay until these men"--and between the words he brought his hand down
in heavy emphasis--"until--these--men--of the Cross mine prove it!
I'll make them get experts and put men in my mine, and put you
yourself on the stand before I'll give them one damned dollar! I'll
fight every step of the road before I'll lay my hand down. I'll pay
nothing!"

She stood there above him, fixing him with her clear, honest, accusing
eyes, and never faltered. Neither his words nor his rage had altered
her determination. She was like a statue of justice, fixed and
demanding the right. Dick had rushed forward to try and dissuade her