As if in answer to her agonized prayer, another shadow passed the
curtained window. Sandy had not seen it or he would not have thrust
forth his great arms and snatched her to him. Tess uttered a scream. In
another moment Jake Brewer sprang into the kitchen and was looking from
Tessibel to the angry squatter.

Sandy pushed the girl roughly on to the cot--took two steps toward
Brewer, his manner threatening.

"What ye sneakin' 'bout here fer?" he growled out.

Jake grinned slowly.

"I allers come in to see Tess," he replied. "What were ye doin', Sandy?"

"I air goin' to take Tessibel to be my woman," muttered Letts.

Jake glanced at the pallid girl.

"Oh, well, I swan! So that air it, eh?"

"Nope," Tess got out through her chattering teeth. Then all the pent-up
rage in her body broke loose. "I ain't wantin' to be his woman. I want
to be let alone in my shack! Oh, Jake, won't ye make Sandy go away and
let me be?"

Sandy laughed evilly.

"It'd take a bigger man'n Jake," he remarked.

Brewer, unruffled, seated himself with the slow manner of a squatter.

"I don't say as how I air very big," replied Jake, crossing his legs,
"but I guess no man'll take Tess long's she don't want to go, when I air
here, Sandy."

Letts shook a threatening fist.

"Get out o' here, Jake," he growled, going toward the other man. "If ye
don't, I'll make it worse fer ye! Git out, I say!"

"Shan't do it. Now, Sandy, I ain't no woman to be 'fraid of you, so just
hold yer horses till us uns talk this out. Ye say ye want Tess fer
your'n, an' Tess, she don't want ye, now what ye goin' to do?"

"I air a goin' to take her jest the same," snarled Letts.

But thinking better of placing his hands on the other man, he went to
his chair and sat down. Tess, too, drew a little sigh of relief. Then
the three sat for several quiet seconds looking from one to the other.
At length, Tess broke out.

"Sandy said he'd keep away an' wait till he caught Andy Bishop afore he
come to git me."

Sandy glared at her.

"But I told ye if ye had a nuther man hangin' round I'd fix both of ye,
an' I'm goin' to keep my word," he snapped back.

"Ye can't fix any one but me, Sandy, 'cause ye don't know nobody else
to hurt, do ye," she interrupted him.

"It air easy fer a man like me to choke the name out of ye, brat,"
replied Letts, blinking his eyes at her. "I'd be likin' nothin' better."

Jake moved his big boots back and forth several times.

"I wouldn