had the
stalwart frame of Thelismer Thornton, and with it the poise of youth,
clean-limbed, bronzed, and erect. He flashed a pair of indignant brown
eyes at the old man. The Duke recognized the Thornton challenge to
battle in the sparkle of those eyes.

"Let's talk this over by ourselves, Harlan," he advised. "Send the girl
along about her business. She has messed things between us badly enough
as it is."

"Have you been talking to this poor little girl as she tells me you have
talked?" demanded young Thornton, narrowing his eyes.

"That isn't the tone to use to me, boy," warned the Duke. There had been
appeal in his face and his voice at the beginning. But this disloyalty
in the presence of the girl pricked him. She was still in the hook of
Harlan's arm, and from that vantage-point flung a glance of childishly
ingenuous triumph at him. "Not that tone from grandson to grandfather."

"It's man to man just now, sir. You know how I feel toward this little
friend of mine. If you have abused our friendship here at our home,
you'll apologize, grandfather or no grandfather--and that's the first
disrespectful word I ever gave you, sir. But this is a case where I have
the right to speak."

The Duke stiffened and his face was gray.

"I talked to her the way Land-pirate Kavanagh's daughter ought to be
talked to when she comes here mocking me. Now, Harlan, if you want this
in the open instead of in private, where it ought to be, I'll give it to
you straight from the shoulder. You're not going to marry that girl. She
shan't steal you and spoil you. I've told you so before. I give it to
you now before witnesses."

The girl ran toward him. She was furious. It was evident that shame as
well as anger possessed her.

"Have I ever said I wanted to marry your grandson? Has he ever said he
wanted to marry me? Is it because you have such a wicked old mind that
you think we cannot always be the true friends we have been? I do not
want a husband. But I have a friend, and you shall not take him away
from me!"

"You have heard, sir. Do you realize how you have insulted both of us?
You shall apologize, Grandfather Thornton!"

For reply the old man walked up to him, snapped the fingers of both
hands under his nose, and walked away. "Give me ten words more of that
talk and I'll take you across my knee," he called over his shoulder.
"There are some men that never grow old enough to get beyond the
spanking age."

Presson, interested sp