k
face was serious, as he said, slowly, "The boy'll have to watch
him, though. It'll sure be war from this on; the worst kind of
war."

"Daddy, what do you think Wash would have done to me, if Young
Matt had not been there?"

That metallic ring was in Jim's voice, now, as he replied, "Wash
Gibbs ought to knowed better than to done that. But it was a
blessin' Young Matt was there, wasn't it? He'd take care of you
anywhere. I wouldn't never be afraid for you with him."

The girl hid her face on her father's shoulder, as she said,
"Daddy, will Wash Gibbs come here any more now? It seems to me he
wouldn't dare meet you after this."

Jim answered uneasily, "I don't know, girl. I reckon he'll be
around again after a time."

There was a pause for a little while; then Sammy, with her arms
still about his neck, said, "Daddy, I'm going to stay in the hills
with you now. I am going to send Ollie away to-morrow, because as
you say, he isn't our kind. Daddy, Wash Gibbs is not our kind
either, is he?"

"You don't understand, girl, and I can't tell you now. It all
started way back when you was a little trick."

The young woman answered very gently, "Yes, I know. You have told
me that often. But, Daddy, what will--what will our friends think,
if you keep on with Wash Gibbs now, after what happened at the
mill to-day? Young Matt fought Gibbs because he insulted me and
was going to hurt me. You say yourself that it will be war between
them now? Will you side with Wash? And if you do, won't it look
like there was just a little, tiny streak of yellow in us?"

This side of the situation had not struck Jim at first. He got up
and walked the floor, while the girl, standing quietly by the
fireplace, watched him, a proud, fond light in her eyes. Sammy did
not know what the bond between her father and the big ruffian was,
but she knew that it was not a light one. Now that the issue was
fairly defined, she felt confident that, whatever the cost, the
break would be made.

But at this time it was well that she did not know how great the
cost of breaking the bond between the two men would be.

Jim stopped before his daughter, and, placing a hand upon each
shoulder, said, "Tell me, girl; are you so powerful anxious to
have me and Young Matt stay good friends like we've always been?"

"I--I am afraid I am, Daddy."

And then, a rare smile came into the dark face of Jim Lane. He
kissed the girl and said, "I'll do it, honey. I ain't afr