ou. Get up, I say, and throw a
dipperful of water in Trefoyle's face. He's not dead by a long shot,
though he deserves to be."

Peale clambered to his feet in sulky submission and did as he was told.
Slowly Trefoyle's eyelids flickered open.

"What be wrong wi' un?" he asked, trying to sit up.

"You got what was coming to you. Is it enough, or do you want more?"

"Did 'ee hit me, lad. Fegs, it's enough. I give you best."

"Then get up. We'll go back to the house for blankets and fuel. You'll
sleep to-night with the horses in the tunnel."

The two girls shivering in the hot room heard the footsteps of the
returning men as they crunched the snow. Moya sat opposite the door,
white to the lips, her hand resting on the table and holding the
revolver. Joyce had sunk down on the bed and had covered her face with
her hands.

A cheerful voice called to them from outside.

"All right. Everything settled. Let us in, please."

Moya flew to the door and unbolted it. The Cornishmen came in first, and
after them Kilmeny. At sight of the ravages of war Joyce gave a little
cry of amazement. The big miners were covered with blood. They had the
cowed hangdog look of thoroughly beaten men. Jack's face too was a
sight, but he still walked springily.

He gave curt commands and the others obeyed him without a word. Almost
the first thing he did was to step to the table and fling the whisky
bottle through the door into the storm.

"We'll not need that," he said.

One of the miners gathered up their extra blankets while the other took
a load of firewood.

As soon as they had gone Joyce cried breathlessly, "You fought them."

Jack looked at her and his eyes softened. All men answered to the appeal
of her beauty. "We had a little argument. They couldn't see it my way.
But they're satisfied now."

Moya bit her lower lip. Her eyes were shining with tears. A queer
emotion welled up in her heart. But it was Joyce who put their thanks
into words.

"You saved us. You're the bravest man I ever saw," she cried.

A deeper color rose to the embarrassed face of the young man. "I expect
you didn't need any saving to speak of. The boys got too ambitious.
That's about all." He was thinking that she was the most beautiful
creature he had ever set eyes upon and thanking his lucky stars that he
had come along in the nick of time.

"You can _say_ that, Mr. Kilmeny, but we know," she answered softly.

"All right. Have it your own way, Miss S