ee jumps ahead
of the law. It was not good form to ask where any one came from unless he
volunteered information about antecedent conditions. Was it possible that
Jake Houck had something on Tolliver, that he was using his knowledge to
force June into a marriage with him? Otherwise there would be no
necessity for her to marry him. As he had told her, it was a free land.
But if Houck was coercing her because of her fears for Tolliver, it was
possible this might be a factor in determining June to marry him.

"Don't you do it, June. Don't you marry him. He didn't look good to me,
Houck didn't," Dillon went on. He was a little excited, and his voice had
lifted.

A man who came at this moment round the bend of the creek was grinning
unpleasantly. His eyes focused on Dillon.

"So I don't look good to you. Tha's too bad. If you'll tell me what you
don't like about me I'll make myself over," jeered Houck.

Bob was struck dumb. The crooked smile and the stab of the eyes that went
with it were menacing. He felt goose quills running up and down his
spine. This man was one out of a thousand for physical prowess.

"I didn't know you was near," the boy murmured.

"I'll bet you didn't, but you'll know it now." Houck moved toward Dillon
slowly.

"Don't you, Jake Houck! Don't you touch him!" June shrilled.

"I got to beat him up, June. It's comin' to him. D'you reckon I'll let
the flunkey of a telephone camp interfere in my business? Why, he ain't
half man-size."

Bob backed away warily. This Colossus straddling toward him would thrash
him within an inch of his life. The boy was white to the lips.

"Stop! Right now!" June faced Houck resolutely, standing between him and
his victim.

The big fellow looked at the girl, a slim, fearless little figure with
undaunted eyes flinging out a challenge. He laughed, delightedly, then
brushed her aside with a sweep of his arm.

Her eyes blazed. The smouldering passion that had been accumulating for
weeks boiled up. She dragged out the six-shooter from its holster.

"I won't have you touch him! I won't! If you do I'll--I'll--"

Houck stopped in his stride, held fast by sheer amazement. The revolver
pointed straight at him. It did not waver a hair's breadth. He knew how
well she could shoot. Only the day before she had killed a circling hawk
with a rifle. The bird had dropped like a plummet, dead before it struck
the ground. Now, as his gaze took in the pantherish ferocity of her tense