out to the bunk house, boys. I'll attend to him later,"
nodded Buck, turning away indifferently.

Stung to fury by the cavalier manner of his enemy, the boy leaped at him
like a wild cat. Weaver whirled round again, caught him by the shoulder
with his great hand, and shook him as if he had been a puppy. When he
dropped him, he nodded again to his men, who dragged out the struggling
boy.

Phyllis stood straight as an arrow, but white to the lips. "What are you
going to do to him?" she asked.

"How would a good chapping do, to start with? That is always good for an
unlicked cub."

"Don't!" she implored.

"But, my dear, why not--since it's for his good?"

Passion unleashed leaped from her. "You coward!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm right desolated to have your bad
opinion. But you say it almost as if you did hate me. That's a
compliment, you know. You didn't hate the coyote, you mentioned."

Her eyes flamed. "Hate you! If wishes could kill, you would be a
thousand times dead!"

"You disappoint me, my dear. I expected more than wishes from you.
There's a loaded revolver in that table drawer. It's yours, any time you
want it," he derided.

"Don't tempt me!" she cried wildly. "If you lay a hand on Phil, I'll use
it--I surely will."

His eyes shone with delight. "I wonder. By Jove, I've a mind to flog
the colt and see. I'll do it."

The passion sank in her as suddenly as it had risen. "No--you mustn't!
You don't know him--or us. We are from the South."

"That settles it. I will," he exulted. "You have called me a coward.
Would a coward do this, and defy your whole crew to its revenge?"

"Would a brave man break the pride of a high-spirited boy for such a
mean motive?" she countered.

"His pride will have to look out for itself. He took his chance of it
when he tried to assault me. What he'll get is only what's coming to
him."

"Please don't! I'll--I'll be different to you. Take it out on me," she
begged.

He laughed harshly. "Do you suppose I'm such a fool as not to know that
the way to take it out on you is to take it out of him?"

She had come nearer, a step at a time. Now she threw her hand out in a
gesture of abandon.

"Be generous! Don't punish me that way. Something dreadful will come of
it."

She broke down and struggled with her tears. He watched her for a moment
without speaking.

"Good enough. I'll be generous and let you pay his debt for him, if you
want to do it."

Her eyes were