he knew he would be killed it would make no difference to him. He is
quite fearless."

"Quite."

"But he is a very good shot, too. You do not need to be alarmed for
him."

"Oh, no! Not at all," the girl answered scornfully. "He is only my
distant cousin, anyhow--and my lover."

"It is hard, Val. Perhaps I might pick a quarrel with this American
and----"

She caught him up sharply, but he forgave it when he saw her white
misery.

"Don't you dare think of it, Ramon Ainsa. One would think nobody in the
valley had any business except fighting with this man. What has he done
to you? Or to these others? You are very brave, all of you, when you
know you are a hundred to one. I suppose _you_, too, will want to shoot
him from ambush?"

This bit of feminine injustice hurt the young man, but he only said
quietly:

"No; I don't think I would do that."

Impulsively she put out her hand.

"Forgive me, Ramon. I don't mean that, of course, but I'm nearly beside
myself. Why must all this bad will and bloodshed come into our happy
little valley? If we must have trouble why can't we let the law settle
it? I thought you were my friends--you and Manuel and my people--but
between you I am going to be made unhappy for life."

She broke down suddenly and began to sob. The lad slipped to the ground
and went quickly to her, putting an arm around her waist across the
saddle.

"Don't cry, Val. We all love you--of course we do. How can we help it?
It will all come right yet. Don't cry, _nina_"

"How can it come right, with all of you working to make things wrong?"
she sobbed.

"Perhaps the stranger will go away."

"He won't. He is a man, and he won't let you drive him out."

"We'll find some way, Val, to save Manuel for you."

"But it isn't only Manuel. I don't want any of you hurt--you or
anybody--not even this Mr. Gordon. Oh, Ramon, help me to stop this
wicked business."

"If you can tell me how."

She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, as a sign that her weakness was
past.

"We must find a way. Do you know, my own people are in a dangerous mood?
They think this man's some kind of a demon. I shall talk to them
to-night. And you must send Manuel to me. Perhaps he may listen to me."

Ainsa agreed, though he felt sure that even she could not induce his
friend to withdraw from a position which he felt his honor called him to
take.

Nor did the mistress of the valley find it easy to lead her tenants to
her way of th