s his one chance escaping him? Then to his relief
Samuels spoke. The long duel of silence was at an end.

XIV

"What might your name be?" inquired Samuels.

"Orde."

"I heerd of you ... what might you be doing up here?"

"I'm just riding through."

"Best thing any of you can do," commented the old man grimly.

"I wish you'd tell me now why you jumped on me so this evening," said
Bob.

"If you don't know, you're a fool," growled Samuels.

"I've knocked around a good deal," persisted Bob, "and I've discovered
that one side always sounds good until you hear the other man's story.
I've only heard one side of this one."

"And that's all you're like to hear," Samuels told him. "You don't get
no evidence out of me against myself."

Bob laughed.

"You're mighty suspicious--and I don't know as I blame you. Bless your
soul, what evidence do you suppose I could get from you in a case like
this? You've already made it clear enough with that old blunderbuss of
yours what you think of the merits of the case. I asked you out of
personal interest. I know the Government claims you don't own this
place; and I was curious to know why you think you do. The Government
reasoning looks pretty conclusive to a man who doesn't know all the
circumstances."

"Oh, it is, is it!" cried Samuels, stung to anger. "Well, what claim do
you think the Government has?"

But Bob was too wily to be put in the aggressive.

"I'm not thinking; I'm asking," said he. "They say you're holding this
for the timber, and never proved up."

"I took it up bony-fidy," fairly shouted Samuels. "Do you think a man
plants an orchard and such like on a timber claim. The timber is worth
something, of course. Well, don't every man take up timber? What about
that Wolverine Company of yours? What about the Yellow Pine people? What
about everybody, everywhere? Ain't I got a right to it, same as
everybody else?"

He leaned forward, pounding his knee. A querulous and sleepy voice spoke
up from the interior of the cabin:

"Oh, pa, for heaven's sake don't holler so!"

The old man paused in mid-career. Over the treetops the moon was rising
slowly. Its light struck across the lower part of the verandah, showing
clearly the gnarled hand of the mountaineer suspended above his sturdy
knee; casting into dimness the silver of his massive head. The hand
descended noiselessly.

"Ain't I got my rights, same as another man?" he asked, more reasonably.
"Just bec