laimed Frank, astonished. "What was Holton doing
there?"

"Oh, don't you see?" said Madge. "He war your enemy--th' man as told Joe
th' lie ag'in you in th' mountings, th' man as tried to burn Queen
Bess."

The Colonel had entered, quickly, from the gallery, and stood listening,
amazed and fascinated. Now, after a moment's pause to think the matter
out, he advanced to Joe with outstretched hand. For the man who had
been guilty of that vile mischief he felt no regret, for the man who
had, in a fair fight and with good reason, shot him down, he felt full
sympathy. "Tried to burn Queen Bess!" he cried. "Joe, the jury'll clear
you without leaving their seats! Come, my boy--the sheriff's here, and
you will have to go with him; but don't you worry. I'll see you
through."

Joe stood, thinking, with bowed head and frowning brow. Suddenly he
looked up and cast his eyes about upon the company. "Before I goes, I
wants to say a word to Madge," said he, and turned to her with an
impressive earnestness. "Little one, don't you never fret about me, no
more." He took her hand and she gave it to him gladly. "I see, now, as
you was never made for me." He took a step toward Frank and led her to
him. "I see whar your heart is, an' I puts your hand in his." With bowed
head he relinquished the brown hand of the mountain-girl whom he had
loved since childhood, to the outstretched hand of the young
"foreigner," whom he no longer looked at with the hatred which had so
long thrilled his heart. "And--now I says good-bye. God bless you both!"

He went out, slowly, with the Colonel.

"Madge, he's right," said Frank, "this little hand is mine."

He would have clasped her in his arms, but, finally, she held him off.

"No, no," said she, "not till you know my secret. It was I who rode
Queen Bess,"

"You rode Queen Bess!"

The Colonel was re-entering the room. "But the world will never know
it," he said gallantly, "on the honor of a Kentuckian."

Frank's smile was radiant. "If it did, I should say: 'Here, Madge, in my
arms, is your shelter from the world.'" He drew her to him gently.
"Madge, my little wife!"

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN OLD KENTUCKY***

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