oment. Through it June could hear the talk:

"No," said her father, "she ain't goin' to marry him." Dave grunted and
Rufe's voice came again:

"Ain't no danger, I reckon, of her tellin' on me?"

"No," said her father gruffly, and the door banged.

No, thought June, she wouldn't, even without her father's trust, though
she loathed the man, and he was the only thing on earth of which she was
afraid--that was the miracle of it and June wondered. She was a Tolliver
and the clan loyalty of a century forbade--that was all. As she rose she
saw a figure skulking past the edge of the woods. She called Bub in and
told him about it, and Rufe stayed at the cabin all night, but June did
not see him next morning, and she kept out of his way whenever he came
again. A few nights later the Red Fox slouched up to the cabin with some
herbs for the step-mother. Old Judd eyed him askance.

"Lookin' fer that reward, Red?" The old man had no time for the meek
reply that was on his lips, for the old woman spoke up sharply:

"You let Red alone, Judd--I tol' him to come." And the Red Fox stayed
to supper, and when Rufe left the cabin that night, a bent figure with a
big rifle and in moccasins sneaked after him.

The next night there was a tap on Hale's window just at his bedside, and
when he looked out he saw the Red Fox's big rifle, telescope, moccasins
and all in the moonlight. The Red Fox had discovered the whereabouts of
Rufe Tolliver, and that very night he guided Hale and six of the
guard to the edge of a little clearing where the Red Fox pointed to a
one-roomed cabin, quiet in the moonlight. Hale had his requisition now.

"Ain't no trouble ketchin' Rufe, if you bait him with a woman," he
snarled. "There mought be several Tollivers in thar. Wait till daybreak
and git the drap on him, when he comes out." And then he disappeared.

Surrounding the cabin, Hale waited, and on top of the mountain, above
Lonesome Cove, the Red Fox sat waiting and watching through his big
telescope. Through it he saw Bad Rufe step outside the door at daybreak
and stretch his arms with a yawn, and he saw three men spring with
levelled Winchesters from behind a clump of bushes. The woman shot from
the door behind Rufe with a pistol in each hand, but Rufe kept his hands
in the air and turned his head to the woman who lowered the half-raised
weapons slowly. When he saw the cavalcade start for the county seat
with Rufe manacled in the midst of them, he dropped