ieutenant
Wingate, pressing his own revolver against the mountaineer's back. He
then jerked the fellow's weapon from its holster and tossed it behind
him. Nora picked it up.

"Turn around!"

The mountaineer faced him, his face contorted with deadly rage.

"I'll kill ye fer this 'ere!" threatened the man.

"Not this evening you won't. Listen to me, Mister Man. We are not here
to interfere with you or with your business, and we wish to be let
alone. So long as we are let alone, we shall move along peaceably. When
we are not, some one is going to get hurt right smart. Get me?" Hippy
thrust out his chin pugnaciously.

The mountaineer did not reply, but his eyes, and the malignant scowl on
his face, voiced the thought that was uppermost in his mind.

"Now turn around, face up the gully and sprint when I give the word.
Don't you show up in this vicinity until to-morrow. You will find your
rifle and revolver right here where I am standing. We don't want any
such antiquated hardware. Don't stop until you get to the other end of
the gully, if you value your life. Go!"

The mountaineer started away at a brisk trot, never once looking behind
him.

"Shoot! Make him dance," urged Emma Dean excitedly.

"No!" replied Grace incisively. "We are not savages."

"Why didn't you 'con-centrate' on him and save us all this bother?"
demanded Hippy. "Nora darling, I am proud of you," he said, turning to
her smilingly. "But never do a crazy thing like that again. Even Emma
Dean could do no worse. What's the next thing on the programme, Grace?
Do we go on or do we camp here?"

"I don't like the climate of Spring Brook at all. It is too warm and
malarial for me," interjected Miss Briggs.

"I agree with you, J. Elfreda," replied Grace laughingly. "I would
suggest that we detour to the right and proceed over the ridge, and on
into the mountains where there may be a probability that we shall not be
molested. What do you say, people?"

"I think we all agree with you," answered Anne.

"Yes, let's seek the seclusion of the mountain fastness and have Emma
sit up and 'con-centrate' all night. If she can move a house and lot
with her con-centration stunt, she surely should be able to move that
touchy mountain savage further away from us," suggested Hippy to the
discomfiture of Emma and the great amusement of her companions.

"I think you are real mean," pouted Emma.

"Would it not be a wise thing to do to leave one of us here for a shor