e, Joe?" said Mandy, moving slowly nearer him.

"Oh, shut up, Mandy! I'm all wet, that's all, and I'm going to bed."

His voice was faint as though he were speaking with an effort.

"You go into the house," he said to the girl. "I've got something to say
to Cameron here."

"You are quarreling."

"Oh, give us a rest, Mandy, and get out! No, there's no quarreling, but
I want to have a talk with Cameron about something. Go on, now!"

For a few moments she hesitated, looking from one to the other.

"It's all right, Mandy," said Cameron quietly. "You needn't be afraid,
there won't be any trouble."

For a moment more she stood, then quietly turned away.

"Wait!" said Perkins to Cameron, and followed Mandy into the house. For
some minutes Cameron stood waiting.

"Now, you murderous brute!" he said, when Perkins reappeared. "Come down
to the barn where no girl can interfere." He turned towards the barn.

"Hold on!" said Perkins, breathing heavily. "Not to-night. I want to say
something. She's waiting to see me go upstairs."

Cameron came back.

"What have you got to say, you cur?" he asked in a voice filled with a
cold and deliberate contempt.

"Don't you call no names," replied Perkins. "It ain't no use." His voice
was low, trembling, but gravely earnest. "Say, I might have killed you
to-night." His breath was still coming in quick short gasps.

"You tried your best, you dog!" said Cameron.

"Don't you call no names," panted Perkins again. "I might--a--killed
yeh. I'm mighty--glad--I didn't." He spoke like a man who had had a
great deliverance. "But don't yeh," here his teeth snapped like a dog's,
"don't yeh ever go foolin' with that girl again. Don't yeh--ever--do
it. I seen yeh huggin' her in there and I tell yeh--I tell yeh--," his
breath began to come in sobs, "I won't stand it--I'll kill yeh, sure as
God's in heaven."

"Are you mad?" said Cameron, scanning narrowly the white distorted face.

"Mad? Yes, I guess so--I dunno--but don't yeh do it, that's all. She's
mine! Mine! D'yeh hear?"

He stepped forward and thrust his snarling face into Cameron's.

"No, I ain't goin' to touch yeh," as Cameron stepped back into a posture
of defense, "not to-night. Some day, perhaps." Here again his teeth came
together with a snap. "But I'm not going to have you or any other
man cutting in on me with that girl. D'yeh hear me?" and he lifted a
trembling forefinger and thrust it almost into Cameron's face.

Cameron