e, and what they would do to you."

At this reminder of his former embarrassment, when caught by the
neighbors and "viewed," Simon Halpen flew into a towering rage. He shook
his rifle in the air as he berated the fearless youth. "Have a care with
that gun, Master Halpen," said Enoch, "for it might go off by accident.
And if such a thing should happen I would shoot you down--'deed and I
would!"

This warning cooled the man's ardor somewhat. For a full minute he stood
silent eyeing Enoch from under his shaggy brows. "Would you dare flout
me to my face?" he demanded.

"I dare keep my rights here, Master Halpen, as my father did before me,"
said Enoch, his voice trembling for the first time. And at the mention
of the dead and gone Jonas Harding more than Enoch were moved. Halpen's
manner changed; his face paled perceptibly; the fire died out of his
eyes and his nose no longer glowed. He dropped his head and half turned
as though to leave the spot.

But suddenly one of his retainers stepped forward and whispered in his
ear. The whisper brought the leader to his old mind. His head came up
and he flashed a look of bitter hatred at Enoch. He nodded to the man
who had spoken and instantly the three armed retainers began to quietly
spread out as though to surround the house. "I'll parley no longer with
you, my lad," Halpen said, shortly. "This land is mine and you are
naught but squatters on it. And as such you shall be put off, or my name
is not Simon Halpen!"

Quick as thought Enoch darted backward to the house, for he had noted
the action of the three men. "It is fighting you want, then, Master
Halpen?" cried the boy, shrilly. "And you will get bullets instead of
fair words if you press us--now I tell ye that! This is our home and we
shall fight for it."

"Stop the young rascal!" roared Halpen, raising his gun now in earnest,
when he saw that Enoch no longer had him "covered." But the boy dodged
into the house and slammed to the heavy door. As he did so a bullet
buried itself in the door frame. Halpen had actually fired.

The widow herself dropped the bars into place, for she had come out of
her chamber and heard the conversation between her son and the Yorker.
Now Enoch ran to one of the loopholes from which he could observe the
movements of the man who had shot at him in so cowardly a manner. He saw
that the surveyor, who had thus far kept in the background, was
expostulating with the angry man. He could not hear wha