ok fire. "Yes, I expected that accursed
sentence. Let me tell you, Mr. Brisbane, I never knew a redman savage
enough to utter such a sentiment as that. The most ferocious utterance
of Geronimo never touched the tigerish malignity of that saying. Sitting
Bull was willing to live and let live. If your view represents
civilization, I want none of it. The world of the savage is less cruel,
less selfish."

Brisbane's face writhed white, and a snarling curse choked his utterance
for a moment. "If you weren't my guest," he said, reaching a clutching
hand towards Curtis, "I'd cut your throat."

Elsie, waiting in strained expectancy, cried out: "Father! What are you
saying? Are you crazy?"

Curtis hastily rose, very white and very quiet. "I will take care not to
put myself in your way as guest again, sir."

"You can't leave too quick!" roared the old man, his face twitching with
uncontrollable wrath. "You are a traitor to your race! You'd sacrifice
the settlers to the interests of a greasy red vagabond!"

"Father, be quiet! You are making a scene," called Elsie, and added,
sadly: "Don't go, Captain Curtis; I shall be deeply mortified if you do.
Father will be sorry for this."

Brisbane also rose, shaking with a weakness pitiful to see. "Well, sir,
you can go, for I know now the kind of sneak you are. Let me tell you
this, young man: you'll feel my hand before you are a year older. You
can't come into my house and insult me in the presence of my daughter.
Get out!" His hands were moving uncontrollably, and Elsie discovered
with a curious pang that she was pitying him and admiring the stern
young soldier who stood quietly waiting for an opportunity to speak. At
last he said:

"Miss Brisbane, I beg your pardon; I should not have said what I did."
He turned to Brisbane. "I am sorry I spoke so harshly, sir. You are an
older man than I, and--"

"Never mind my age," replied Brisbane, his heat beginning to cool into
self-contained malice. "I desire no terms of friendship with you. It's
war now--to the knife, and the knife to the hilt. You think you are safe
from me, but the man that lines up against me generally regrets it to
the day of his death."

"Very well, sir, I am not one to waste words. I shall do my duty to the
Tetongs regardless of you or your friends." He turned to Elsie. "Miss
Brisbane, I ask you to remember that I honestly tried to avoid a
controversy."

Six months before Elsie would have remained passive while