crowded up from the bunks and deacons'
seats. All were as curious as magpies. They gazed with interest on
Parker's companion. But no one threatened them by look or gesture.

"Is Gideon Ward here?" inquired Joshua, blandly.

"Yes, I'm here!" came the answer, shouted from the pen at the farther
end. "What's wanted?"

"It's Joshua!" called the brother. "I'll come in."

"Stay where you are!" cried Gideon; and the next moment he came
shouldering through the men, who fell back to let him pass.

The instant his keen gaze fell on the person who bore his brother
company he seemed to understand the situation perfectly. There was just
the suspicion of fear when he faced the blazing eyes of Parker, but he
snorted contemptuously and turned to his brother.

"Wal, Josh," he cried, "out with it! What can I do for you?"

"The matter isn't one to be talked over in public, brother," suggested
Joshua.

"I hain't any secrets in my life!" shouted Gideon, defiantly, as if he
proposed to anticipate and discount any allegations that his visitors
might produce.

"Ye don't refuse to let me talk a matter of business over with ye in
private, do ye, Gideon?"

"Colonel Ward," said Parker, stepping forward, "your brother is ashamed
to show you up before these men."

"Here, Connick, Hackett, any of you! Seize that runaway, and throw him
into the wangan till I get ready to attend to him!" commanded Ward.

The men did not move.

"Do as I tell ye!" bawled the colonel. "Twenty dollars to the men--fifty
dollars to the men who ketch an' tie him for me!"

Several rough-looking fellows came elbowing forward, tempted by the
reward. Parker raised his gun, but Connick was even quicker. The giant
seized an ax, and shouted:

"Keep back, all of ye! There's goin' to be fair play here to-night, an'
it's Dan Connick says so!"

"Connick," Gideon's command was almost a scream, "don't you interfere in
what's none o' your business!"

"It's my business when a square man don't get his rights," Connick
cried, with fully as much energy as the colonel, "and that chap is a
man, for he licked me clean and honest!"

A murmur almost like applause went through the crowd.

"Men," broke in Parker, "I cannot expect to have friends here, and you
may all be enemies, but I have come back, knowing that woodsmen are on
the side of grit and fair dealing. Listen to me!"

In college Parker had been class orator and a debater of power. Now he
stood on a block of wood,