Peggy Simms,
with face aglow with the excitement that had not subsided, was
proffering Lund her pistol.

"Keep it," he said. "You may need it. I've got mine."

"But you threw it into the water. I saw you."

"No," He laughed. "That wasn't my gun. They thought it was. I wanted
to bring the thing to grips. But I wasn't fool enough to chuck away my
gun. That was a wrench I was usin' this mornin' to fix the cabin
stove--looks jest like an ottermatic. I stuck it in my inside pocket. I
was ha'f a mind to shoot when they showed their knives, but I didn't
want to use my gun on that mess of hash."

He stood tall and broad above her, looking down at the face that was
raised to his. Rainey, unnoticed as yet, saw her eyes bright with
admiration.

"You are a wonderful fighter," she said softly.

"Wonderful? What about you? A man's woman! You saved the day. Comin' to
me with them drills. An' we licked 'em. We. God!"

He swept her up into his arms, lifting her in his big hands, making no
more of her than if she had been a feather pillow, up till her face was
on a level with his, pressing her close, while in swift, indignant rage
she fought back at him, striking futilely while he held her, kissed her,
and set her down as Rainey sprang forward.

Lund seemed utterly unconscious of the girl's revulsion.

"Comin' to me with the drills!" he said. "We licked 'em. You an' me
together. My woman!"

Peggy Simms had leaped back, her eyes blazing. Lund came for her, his
face lit with the desire of her, arms outspread, hands open. Before
Rainey could fling himself between them, the girl had snatched the
little pistol that Lund had set on the table and fired point-blank. She
seemed to have missed, though Lund halted, his mouth agape, astounded.

"You big bully!" said Rainey. Now that the time had come he found that
he was not afraid of Lund, of his gun, of his strength. "Play fair, do
you? Then show it! You asked me once why I didn't make love to her. I
told you. But you, you foul-minded bully! All you think of is your big
body, to take what it wants.

"Peggy. Will you marry me? I can protect you from this hulking brute. If
it's to be a show-down between you and me," he flared at Lund, still
gazing as if stupefied, "let it come now. Peggy?"

The girl, tears on her cheeks that were born from the sobs of anger that
had shaken her, swung on him.

"You?" she said, and Rainey wilted under the scorn in her voice. "Marry
you?" She began to