, a hundred feet beyond it.
They were passing the saloon when the door was pushed open and a man came
out. At sight of them he gave a triumphant whoop.

"Got ya!" he cried.

The look on his face daunted Bob. The boy felt the courage dry up within
him. Mouth and throat parched. He tried to speak and found he could not.

June took up the gage, instantly, defiantly. "You've got nothing to do
with us, Jake Houck. We're married."

The news had reached him. He looked at her blackly. "Married or single,
you're mine, girl, an' you're going with me."

"My husband will have a word to say about that," June boasted bravely.

Houck looked at his rival, and a sinister, mocking smile creased the hard
face. "I'm plumb scared of him," he jeered.

"We g-got a right to get married, Mr. Houck," Bob said, teeth chattering.
"You hadn't ought to make us trouble."

"Speaks up right brave, don't he?"

"He's as brave as you are, Jake Houck, even if he ain't a bully," the
bride flamed.

"So?" Houck moved a step or two toward Dillon.

The hand under the coat shook as though the boy had a chill.

"What you got there--in yore hand?" demanded Houck.

The revolver came to light.

Houck stuck his hands in his trouser pockets, straddled out his feet, and
laughed derisively. "Allowin' for to kill me, eh?"

"No, sir." The voice was a dry whisper. "I'd like to talk this over
reasonable, Mr. Houck, an' fix it up so's bygones would be bygones. I
ain't lookin' for trouble."

"I sure believe that." Houck turned to June. "It wouldn't be safe for me
to leave you with this desperate character who goes around with a
six-shooter not lookin' for trouble. I'm aimin' to take you with me, like
I said."

Her eyes clashed with his and gave way at last. "You always act like
you're God Almighty," she cried passionately. "Are you hard o' hearing?
I'm married to Bob Dillon here."

"I ain't heard him raise any objections to yore goin'," Houck taunted.
"Tolliver said for me to bring you, an' I'll do it."

June spoke to Bob, her voice trembling. "Tell him where to get off at,"
she begged.

"Mr. Houck, June's my wife. She's made her choice. That ends it," Bob
said unsteadily.

The cold, cruel eyes of the ex-rustler gripped those of Dillon and held
them. "End it, does it? Listen. If you're any kind of a man a-tall you'd
better shoot me right now. I'm gonna take her from you, an' you're goin'
to tell her to go with me. Understand?"

"He'll not tell me