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Kut-le shifted the Navajo that hung over his naked shoulders He gave a short laugh that Rhoda had never heard froo with you, Jim Provenso! You knoell as I do that she is safer with an Apache! Anything else?"

"Yes, this else!" Jiet a chance at you, we'll hang you sky high, see? This o with Injuns but not hites, you dirty pup!"

Suddenly Kut-le rose and, dropping his blanket, stood before the white man in his bronze perfection

"Provenso, you aren't fit to look at a decent wo to the white race You're disreputable, and you know it Don't speak to Miss Tuttle again; you are too rotten!"

The prospector had risen and stood glaring at Kut-le

"I'll kill you for that yet, you dirty Injun!" he shouted

"Shucks!" sniffed the Indian "You haven't the nerve to injure anything but a woman!"

Jim's face went purple

"For two bits I'd knock your block off, right now"

"There isn't a cent in the caet the point of the conversation, I hope?"

Rhoda's eyes were blazing She had gotten the point, and yet--Ji white was better than an Indian

"I'd take my chances with Mr Provenso," she said, joyfully conscious that nothing could have hurt Kut-le more than this reply

Kut-le's lips stiffened

"Lunch is ready," he said

"None of your grub forto do with , then take this fellow out and lose him Take the rest of the day to it You know the next camp!"

Then he folded his arms across his chest and waited for Alchise to finish his meal Jim stood in sullen silence for a minute Then he seated hiet ed his shoulders

"A gun at your back willat the white ly, but he was of her own breed Suddenly the longing for her own that she was beginning to control surged to her lips

"I can't bear this!" she cried "I' irl, and Rhoda recovered her self-possession She ran to Kut-le and laid her hand on his ar face to his