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"Dad, y'u leave this to nificantly on his right side "Let her alone Lee," he advised, coolly "She's shore got a hunch on Bruce"

"Simm Bruce, y'u cast a dirty slur on s grasped Jorth's right arht," he said "Stand still, Lee Let's see the kid make him shon"

"That's what jean Isbel beat y'u for," went on Ellen "For slandering a girl asn't there Me! Y'u rotten liar!"

"But, Ellen, it wasn't all lies," said Bruce, huskily "I was half drunk--an' horrible jealous You know Lorenzo seen Isbel kissin' you I can prove thet"

Ellen threw up her head and a scarlet wave of shaly "He saw Jean Isbel kiss me Once!An' it was the only decent kiss I've had in years He h his kiss I learned a difference between ood name left in Grass Valley you dishonored it Y'u ht to kill y'u Eat your words now--take them back--or I'll cripple y'u for life!"

Ellen lowered the cocked rifle toward his feet

"Shore, Ellen, I take back--all I said," gulped Bruce He gazed at the quivering rifle barrel and then into the face of Ellen's father Instinct told his showed himself master of the situation

"Heah, listen!" he called "Ellen, I reckon Bruce was drunk an' out of his haid He's shore ate his words Noe don't want any cripples in this caot me heah to lead the Jorths, an' that's my say to you Simm, you're shore a lon lyin' rascal Keep away from Ellen after this or I'll bore you et you're a Texan till you cool off Let Bruce stop some Isbel lead Shore the Jorth-Isbel war is aboot on, an' I reckon we'd be smart to believe old Gass's talk aboot his Nez Perce son"