usual impetuous way might have been impelled to tug at that
imprisoned foot, and add to her sufferings; but Thad, who was cooler,
set about discovering just how it was gripped; then, as gently as he
could he gave it a sudden turn, and the thing was done.

The girl uttered a little scream as a pain shot through her ankle; but
then she realized that the way the boy had gone about it was the right
one. Results count every time. When a man succeeds, the path he has
taken is looked upon as a shining example to the rising generation;
should he fail, the same route is pointed out as beset with
unsurmountable difficulties.

"I'm right glad you kim along in time," the girl remarked, as her black
eyes scanned the faces of the two boys who had done her such a good
turn.

"Had you done anything to the cat; or was it just crazy for a fight?"
asked Bob, as he looked more closely at the angular girl; and Thad
thought he could detect that in his manner to tell he might have
recognized her.

"'Pears like it was jest brim full of scrap, mister," she went on. "I
was acomin' down ther side o' the mounting, paying 'tention to my own
business, when I jest made er fool o' myself, like ye see, an' gut a
foot fast atween the rocks. Then the critter showed up, and started
makin' a row. I tried all I knowed how to break loose, but it was no go.
An' I was jest agwine to hit the animal atween the eyes if it jumped me,
when you-uns arriv. But I'm glad ye kim. 'Tain't nice to git yuh face
all clawed to ribbands by cat's claws. Yep, I'm glad ye helped me outen
it."

Thad saw that she was a character, this girl of the Blue Ridge. Rough
and uncouth, she might be, still she possessed the qualities that real
heroines were once made out of in the days of Joan of Arc.

Doubtless she must be the daughter of one of the poor "white trash"
mountaineers who spend their time between making moonshine whiskey, and
dodging revenue men. It struck Thad at the moment that perhaps, since
they had been enabled to do her a good turn, she might be willing to
assist them. Such a girl ought to know a good deal of what was going on
back in the mountains. Her people must talk about the strange things
that happened; perhaps she might be able to even tell Bob something
about the prisoner who was said to be kept up there somewhere, working
at the sour-mash in the never raided Still of Phin Dady.

With this bright idea in his mind Thad decided that fortune had indeed
play