lowed the knife to fall harmless at
Wade's feet.

"Ye'll not be after committin' murder on the mountain to-day," said
Judson.

"So ye're helpin' ther newcomer, Judson, air ye?" asked Thompson
sullenly.

"No, durn ye," replied Peter. "I'm helpin' you, ye fool. I'm seein' fair
play, too. Ye hain't satisfied ter burn up all a feller's cabin, an'
everything else ye kin git at, but ye want ter commit a dogged, dirty
murder right hyar afore my eyes. Ye git, now, Thompson, an' git quick."

Knowing that it would gain him nothing to argue with Judson, Thompson
moved off, holding his crippled hand with the good one. Sending back a
parting shot, he darted out of sight.

"Ye'll regret that act, Peter Judson," he said. Giving each of them a
sullen look, he was gone like a flash.

"Ther dirty wolf!" exclaimed Peter, shaking his fist after the
retreating form of Thompson. Turning to Wade he asked: "What made ye
take sich a fool notion as this, boy?"

Jack replied evasively. "You have saved me, Judson," he said, "and I
reckon my life is in your hands. Do as you like. By my own foolishness I
might have died twice, yea, thrice, in the last twenty-four hours, but
you have saved me."

"What one man does for another is not to be talked about," said Peter.
"Jest ye don't be sich a fool any more. By yer foolishness, as ye call
it, ye have got me in ther same boat 'long side o' ye. I 'low thar'll be
no rest 'bout this hyar mountain till both of us is in our graves, fer
I've waked up ther devil from ther deep o' hell this day shore."

"I'm sorry to have caused you this trouble," said Wade regretfully. "It
may have been better had that snarling wolf----"

"Stop!" interrupted Peter. "Trouble o' this matter is ther kind I like
best. Let 'em tackle us when Tom's got his shootin' irons on an' his
shootin' eye open; he'll pick 'em off as fast as they kin come. Ye mind
what I'm a-tellin' ye, Wade. It's jest as true as what I told ye last
night, only they'll be a little more keerful 'bout ther time they take
ter burn Peter Judson's shanty. Did ye know ye air ten miles away from
home?"

Jack did not know this.

"Well, ye air, an' we'd better be a-gettin' back. Somebody'll bring some
hosses out ter meet us so's we won't have ter walk very far a-goin'
back."

"Must have been a long chase for one like you," said Jack.

"Well," replied Judson, "hit ain't so fer fer me as hit is fer you, I'll
tell ye that, Wade. I kin stand more walkin' ri