n's own head. She had appeased her wrath
and made no attempt to retort, only looking at him with white face and
burning eyes as she breathed defiance. Duke interfered. "Get out!" he
said to Gale harshly. "I'll talk to her. Go home!"

Not ceasing to mutter threats, Gale picked up his hat and stamped out
of the house, slamming the doors. Duke, exhausted by the quarrel, sat
down, eying his niece. "Now what does this mean?" he demanded
hoarsely.

She tried to tell him honestly and frankly all that her acquaintance
with de Spain did mean--dwelling no more than was necessary on its
beginning, but concealing nothing of its development and consequences,
nothing of her love for de Spain, nor of his for her. But no part of
what she could say on any point she urged softened her uncle's face.
His square hard jaw from beginning to end looked like stone.

"So he's your lover?" he said harshly when she had done.

"He wants to be your friend," returned Nan, determined not to give
up.

Duke looked at her uncompromisingly: "That man can't ever be any
friend of mine--understand that! He can't ever marry you. If he ever
tries to, so help me God, I'll kill him if I hang for it. I know his
game. I know what he wants. He doesn't care a pinch of snuff about
you. He thinks he can hit me a blow by getting you away from me."

"Nothing could be further from the truth," exclaimed Nan hopelessly.

Duke struck the table a smashing blow with his fist. "I'll show Mr. de
Spain and his friends where they get off."

"Uncle Duke, if you won't listen to reason, you must listen to sense.
Think of what a position you put me in. I love you for all your care
of me. I love him for his affection for me and consideration of
me--because he knows how to treat a woman. I know he wouldn't harm a
hair on your head, for my sake, yet you talk now of bloodshed between
you two. I know what your words mean--that one of you, or both of you
are to be killed for a senseless feud. He will not stand up and let
any man shoot him down without resistance. If you lay your blood on
his head, you know it would put a stain between him and me that never
could be washed out as long as we lived. If you kill him I could never
stay here with you. His blood would cry out every day and night
against you."

Duke's violent finger shot out at her. "And you're the gal I took from
your mammy and promised I'd bring up a decent woman. You've got none
o' her blood in you--not a drop. You'r