d an
oath.

"What the devil are you doing with him?" he demanded.

"Riding with Angus Mackay!" said his sister. "I'll ride with any one I
like, when I like. Do you get that, Blake? Pull out. You're blocking the
trail."

Gerald French laughed. "I thought you were up to something, Kit."

"That's what I thought about you," she retorted.

As Angus rode past the French boys, who had not addressed him at all, he
met their eyes. Their stares were level, hard, insolent. He rode on,
half angry and much puzzled. Kathleen lifted her horse into a lope and
he followed. Then she pulled to a walk.

"The boys didn't like you being with me," he said.

"Never mind what they like. I'm glad I was in time--" She broke off, but
a sudden light dawned on Angus.

"What!" he exclaimed. "Is that what you were running your horse for? You
mean they were waiting for me?"

He wheeled Chief abruptly, but more quickly she spun Finn on his heels,
blocking the back trail.

"I won't let you go back!" she cried.

"That was a nice trick to play on a man!" he told her indignantly.

"And that's a man gratitude!" she retorted bitterly.

"Gratitude! I know you meant well, and I thank you. But it looks as if I
had hidden behind your skirts, and I am not that kind of a man. I am
going back."

"You are not. I won't have any trouble between you and the boys to-day.
You said you didn't want to make trouble. Well, then, don't."

"I don't want to make trouble, but I am not going to run away from it.
If your brothers want to take up their father's quarrel--and I am not
saying they haven't the right to, mind you--I will meet them half way.
I am not going to be hunted by them in a pack. I don't have to be
rounded up. If there is going to be trouble I am going to have some say
about the time of it."

"And so am I," Kathleen declared. "I will put a stop to this."

"Men's affairs must be settled by men," he told her.

"I believe you are all savages at heart," she said. "This will blow over
if you will let it. Whether you like it or not, I am going to interfere.
I blame Blake for this."

"You may be right. I had to put him out of Faith's house the other
night. He was drunk."

"Pah!" said Blake's sister in disgust. "I'm glad you told me. He has
been going there lately, I knew. Well, I'll see that he stops _that_."

"You need not bother. I will look after that myself. Faith won't be
there long."

"Is she going to sell? I'm glad of it."

"I don't