d better think
twice before you turn me away with insults."

Turner's voice hardened and his eyes became menacing slits.

"Yes--he lays in jail because Kinnard Towers bartered with ye ter jail
him, but I hain't a-goin' ter barter with ye ter free him. Ye talks of
turnin' ye away with insult--but I tells ye now hit's all I kin do ter
turn ye away without killin' ye."

Stacy was unarmed and Mark's own automatic pistol was in his coat
pocket. He should have known better, but the discovery that somehow
Bear Cat Stacy had learned his complicity in a murder plot blinded him
with an insane fury of fear and the hand leaped, armed, from its
pocket.

"Ef I war you," suggested Bear Cat, who had not moved the folded arms
on his chest, "I wouldn't undertake no vi'lence--leastways tell I'd
looked well about me. Hev a glance at that trap overhead--an' them two
doors."

Already the officer, with deep chagrin, recognized his folly. The open
trap of the loft bristled with rifle mouths. The two doors which had a
moment before been closed were now open and showed other muzzles
peeping through, but who the men behind the guns might be, there was no
indication--and there had been no sound.

"I didn't need ter show them guns--jest fer you," said Bear Cat slowly.
"A man don't hardly need ter call his folks tergether ter fight a
skunk--but I knowed thet ye'd go back ter Kinnard Towers, an' I'd jest
as lief hev ye name hit ter him, thet ye didn't find me hyar all by
myself." He paused and then the cold contempt of his manner gave way to
a more explosive anger.

"I aims ter furnish ye with a lantern an' one of my men will start ye
on yore road.... I wants ter see thet lantern goin' over ther hill-top
plumb outen sight--an' I don't want ter see hit hesitate whilst hit
goes. Ef hit does pause--or ef ye ever comes back ter me ergin with any
proffer of partnership, so holp me God Almighty, I'll send yore scalp
ter Washin'ton with my regards ter ther government." He pointed a
peremptory finger to the front door. "Now, damn ye, begone an' go
swiftly!"

Outside Tapper saw a lantern moving, but revealing no face. He knew
that it was attached to a long pole and that one side was masked--the
hill device of men who need light for their footsteps yet seek to avoid
becoming conspicuous--and he followed its glimmer until a voice said,
"I reckon ye kin go yore own route from hyar--yon way lies ther high
road. Ye kin tek ther lantern with ye."