nd knew he might be set down as a great boaster, but one
not particularly dangerous when it came to a show-down.

"I believe you just did that on purpose, that's what," Peg went on,
hotly. "You've got it in for me ever since that time we had our little
affair, when I laid a hand on the Mexican girl who sassed me. You just
knew I'd jump up in a hurry if you made out you was going to shoot; and
I bet you even remembered this lake at the bottom of the slope. Oh! it
worked all right; but don't you forget; my time will come. I'm going
to pay you back in full! I've got friends who'll stick by me, all
right. Bah! what're you two fellers doing here on Thunder Mountain,
anyhow?"

A new suspicion had apparently seized upon Peg. He viewed their
presence as a personal insult; just as though they might have plotted
to forestall him in the glorious adventure he had planned to carry out.

"Well, if the old mountain belongs to you," spoke up Frank, thinking it
time he took a hand in the talk, "we'll ask you to excuse us, and back
out. But I don't think you have any claim on it; so we'll hang around
as long as we see fit. And remember this, Peg, we're going to mind our
own business; but we don't stand for any bother from you, or those with
you. Understand that?"

Peg looked at him long and steadily. The eyes of Frank never wavered
in the slightest degree.

"All right," said Peg, finally, as his own eyes dropped. "You wait and
see; that's what! This thing's been hanging fire a long time now; and
some day we're bound to have it out, Frank Haywood. My dad's after
yours with a sharp stick; and perhaps the trouble is going to come down
to the next generation. You'll get yours good and plenty when the
right time comes!"

He turned away, and, limping to where the slope could be reached by
skirting the edge of the pool, laboriously commenced to climb,
following the tracks of the three horses.

"There's one of his guides up yonder, Frank," remarked Bob; "sitting on
the top of the bank. Looks to me like he was grinning to beat the
band."

"Yes, that's Nick Jennings," replied Frank. "Used to work on the
Circle Ranch, but he got his walking papers because he was caught
stealing from the other men. He's got a grudge against me because I'm
a Haywood. But Nick likes a joke as well as any cowboy; and who could
keep a straight face after seeing what happened here? Look a little
farther on, and you'll just glimpse the colore