wn impatient, and I saw Lyle's
lips set tight when he and three or four of the younger men who I heard
afterward were rather indebted to the Colonel rode out from the shadow of
the bluff. One of my companions smiled expressively, but nothing was said
until Carrington drew bridle a few yards away. He sat impassively still
with one hand on his hip and a handful of young lads behind him, and there
was silence for a few moments while the two parties looked at each other.
It was not exactly my quarrel, but I could feel the tension.

Lyle stood close beside me quietly resolute, but one or two of his
comrades looked half-ashamed and as though they wished themselves anywhere
else, while the lads who rode with Carrington were manifestly uneasy.
Still, the grim, erect figure sitting almost statuesque on the splendid
horse dominated the picture. At length Carrington indicated me with a
glance which, though I was ashamed of the fact afterward, made me wince.

"This man tells me that it is by your authority he is cutting down my
timber," he said.

"He is quite correct in that, sir," answered Lyle.

"Ah," said Carrington, and his voice was very sharp, "you did not consider
it necessary to ask my sanction?"

Lyle looked at his companions, and it was evident that they realized that
the time for decisive action had come. The Colonel clearly meant to assert
his authority, and I fancied that he would not hesitate to overstep it if
this appeared advisable. He had, however, ridden them on the curb too
long, and his followers' patience was almost at an end. Still, it requires
a good deal of courage suddenly to fling off a yoke to which one has grown
accustomed, and I sometimes think that if Carrington had been a trifle
less imperious and Lyle had not stood fast then his companions once more
would have deferred to their ruler and the revolt would never have been
made. Perhaps Lyle recognized this for his answer seemed intended to force
the matter to an issue.

"We were afraid it would be withheld, sir," he said.

Carrington understood him, for I saw the blood creep into his face. "So
you decided to dispense with it?"

"I should have preferred to put it another way, but it amounts to that,"
said Lyle, and there was a murmur of concurrence from the rest which
showed that their blood was up.

"Then you may understand that it is refused once for all," said
Carrington. "I will not have another birch felled on Green Mountain. Now
that you