n, and his tramp-like costume, he looked fierce and
animal-like. White and black, the children fled like startled rabbits,
older ones dragging younger, without a backward look--all save Rickey,
who stood quite still, her widening eyes fixed on him in a kind of
blanched fascinated terror.

He came close to her, never taking his eyes from hers, then put his
heavy grimy hand under her chin and turned her twitching face upward,
chuckling.

"Ain't afeahd, damn me!" he said with admiration. "Wouldn't skedaddle
with th' fine folks' white-livered young 'uns! Know who I am, don't ye?"

"Greef King." Rickey's lips rather formed than spoke the name.

"Right. An' I know you, too. Got jes' th' same look ez when ye wuzn't no
higher'n my knee. So ye ain't at th' Dome no mo', eh? Purkle an' fine
linning an' a eddication. Ho-ho! Goin' ter make ye another ladyess like
the sweet ducky-dovey that rescooed ye from th' lovin' embrace o' yer
fond step-parient, eh?"

Rickey's small arm went suddenly out and her fingers tore at his
shirt-band. "Don't you," she burst in a paroxysm of passion; "don't you
even speak her name! If you do, I'll kill you!"

So fierce was her leap that he fell back a step in sheer surprise. Then
he laughed loudly. "Why, ye little spittin' wile-cat!" he grinned.

He leaned suddenly, gripped her wrist and covering her mouth tightly
with his palm, dragged her behind a clump of dogwood bushes. A heavy
step was coming along the wood-path. He held her motionless and
breathless in this cruel grip till the pedestrian passed. It was Major
Bristow, his spruce white hat on the back of his head, his unsullied
waistcoat dappled with the leaf-shadows. He stepped out briskly toward
Damory Court, swinging his stick, all unconscious of the fierce scrutiny
bent on him from behind the dogwoods.

Greef King did not withdraw his hand till the steps had died in the
distance. When he did, he clenched his fist and shook it in the air.
"There he goes!" he said with bitter hatred. "Yer noble friend that sent
me up for six years t' break my heart on th' rock-pile! Oh, he's a
top-notcher, he is! But he's got Greef King to reckon with yit!" He
looked at her balefully and shook her.

"Look-a-yere," he said in a hissing voice. "Ye remember _me_. I'm a bad
one ter fool with. Yer maw foun' that out, I reckon. Now ye'll promise
me ye'll tell nobody who ye've seen. I'm only a tramp; d'ye hear?" He
shook her roughly.

Rickey's fingers and tee