arterhouse as wide a berth as
possible," he answered dryly.

"Hits fer you ter say, Mr. Henderson," was the quiet rejoinder. "But
I'll give ye Joe Stacy's message. From what his brother writ him Joe
concluded thet Lone warn't aimin' ter start no needless strife with
Kinnard Towers, but he aimed ter make hit p'intedly cl'ar thet ther
Stacys was detarmined ter pertect ye, an' thet ye'd done come back hyar
plumb open an' upstandin'."

"That's true enough," assented Jerry. "I'm not trying to hide out, but
I don't see any profit in walking into the lion's den."

The guide nodded sympathetically. He seemed imbued with the excellent
military conception of obeying orders and proffering no gratuitous
counsel.

"Joe 'lowed thet ef things looked favorable hit mout be a right-bold
sort of thing an' a right wise one, too, to stop in thar as ye rid by.
Hit's a public tavern--an' hit would prove thet ye're hyar, with a
bodyguard, neither seekin' trouble ner fearin' hit."

"Why didn't you suggest this before, Mr. Blackwell?" inquired Henderson
to whom the very effrontery of the plan carried an appeal.

"Joe didn't want me ter risk even namin' hit ter ye twell we knowed how
ther land lay over thar," came the prompt and easy response. "Ye seed
me talkin' with a man out front thar jest now, didn't ye? Wa'al thet
war one of our boys, thet come direct from ther Quarterhouse, ter bear
me ther tidin's. Thar hain't more'n a handful of men thar now--an' half
of 'em's our friends. I reckon ye hain't in no great peril nohow so
long as we're all tergither--an' full-armed."

Henderson felt that already his prestige had suffered from an
appearance of flight. Here was an opportunity ready to hand for its
complete rehabilitation. The bold course is always the best defense,
and his decision was prompt.

"Come on then. Let's go in."

At the long rack in front of the frowning stockade, as they dismounted
and hitched, were already tethered a half-dozen horses.

* * * * *

Bear Cat Stacy, impelled by Lew Turner's news, traveled in a fever of
haste. He meant to go as straight as a hiving bee to Marlin and if need
be to follow Henderson to the lowlands of Kentucky. Henderson had
compromised Blossom, by the undeviating standards of mountain code, and
he must come back and marry her even if he had to be dragged out of the
most conspicuous place in Louisville itself. Casting all considerations
of precaution