ere are plenty
of others you might meet----"

He put her objections aside, enjoying being so near her and happy that
she made no retreat. "My reputation," he insisted, "has suffered a
little in Morgan's Gap. I mean that at least one who makes her home
under Music Mountain shall know differently of me. What's that?" He
heard a sound. "Listen!"

The two, looking at each other, strained their ears to hear more
through the rush of the falling water. "Some one is coming," said de
Spain. Nan ran lightly to where she could peep over the ledge. Hardly
pausing as she glanced down, she stepped quickly back. "I'll go right
on up the mountain to the azalea fields," she said hastily.

He nodded. "I'll hide. Stop. If you are questioned, you don't know I'm
here. You must say so for your own sake, not for mine."

She was gone before he had finished. De Spain drew quickly back to
where he could secrete himself. In another moment he heard heavy
footsteps where he had stood with his visitor. But the footsteps
crossed the ledge, and their sound died away up the path Nan had
taken. De Spain could not see the intruder. It was impossible to
conjecture who he was or what his errand, and de Spain could only
await whatever should develop. He waited several minutes before he
heard any sign of life above. Then snatches of two voices began to
reach him. He could distinguish Nan's voice and at intervals the
heavier tones of a man. The two were descending. In a few moments they
reached the ledge, and de Spain, near at hand, could hear every word.

"Hold on a minute," said the man roughly. His voice was heavy and his
utterance harsh.

"I must get home," objected Nan.

"Hold on, I tell you," returned her companion. De Spain could not see,
but he began already to feel the scene. "I want to talk to you."

"We can talk going down," parried Nan.

De Spain heard her hurried footfalls. "No, you don't," retorted her
companion, evidently cutting off her retreat.

"Gale Morgan!" There was a blaze in Nan's sharp exclamation. "What do
you mean?"

"I mean you and I are going to have this out right here, before we
leave this ledge."

"I tell you, I want to go home."

"You'll go home when I say so."

[Illustration: "Stand away from that girl!" repeated de Spain harshly,
backing the words with a step forward.]

"How dare you stop me!"

"I'll show you what I dare, young lady. You've been backing and
filling with me for two years. Now I want to kn