sorry," said Layson, with quick sympathy. "I'll see
what can be done. And you say he's hiding out up in the mountains?"

She hesitated. "I said so, but I reckon it ain't true, exactly. It was
that that made me hurry down to speak to you. Some say as how he has
come down into th' bluegrass to find th' man as gin th' word. It is a
crime as never is forgiven in th' mountings."

As she spoke, unseen, behind them, a dark, slouching, furtive figure
slipped across an open space and took a crouching stand behind a tree
near by. Had they listened without speech they might have heard the
heavy breathing of the very man of whom they spoke, might have heard the
sharp click of the lock of his long rifle as he brought its hammer to
full cock. Had they turned about they might have seen the blue glint of
the day's last light upon that rifle's barrel, which was levelled
straight at Layson's heart. But they saw none of these things nor heard
a sound.

"Who does he think betrayed him?" Layson asked, with deep interest, but
no trace of guilty knowledge, thrilling in his voice.

Madge hesitated. Then she blurted out the truth. "Who?" she repeated,
"Why--why you! _YOU_--YOU!"

The rifle barrel steadied to its mark, the finger curled to press upon
the trigger.

"Why, Madge," said Layson, earnestly, "I didn't even know he had a
still! I swear it!"

There was an honest ring in the youth's voice which could not be
mistaken.

"I knowed it warn't your doin'," the girl said with a great sigh of
relief.

And as she spoke the rifle barrel slowly fell.

"I knowed it warn't your doin', but Joe'll never believe it. Night an'
day you'll have to be close on your guard. There's no tellin' what
minute your life may be in danger."

"I don't believe it of Joe Lorey," Layson answered earnestly. "We
fought, and he fought fair."

After they had gone, Joe crept out from his hiding place among the
shrubbery and looked after them with puzzled, pain-filled eyes, like a
great animal's.

"If they'd only knowed that I war standin' in th' shadder there!" he
mused. "If he hadn't spoke them words I'd pulled th' trigger, but he
spoke up like as ef 't war true an' I jest couldn't do it."

A cautious footstep on the close-knit sward, which would have been
inaudible to any ear less keen than his, attracted his attention,
suddenly, and he slipped back to his leafy hiding-place. Peering from
the covert he saw Holton coming. The man was furtive, apprehensive