"I sha'n't discuss Mrs. Montoyo with you, sir," I broke, cold, instead of hot, watching him very narrowly (as I had been taught to do), my hand nerved for the inevitable dart. "But I am her friend--her friend, mind you; and if she is in danger of being imposed upon by you, I stand ready to protect her. For I want you to know that I'm not afraid of you, day or night. Why, you low dog----!" and I choked, itching for the crisis. He gawked, reddening; his right hand quivered; and to my chagrin he slowly laughed, scanning me. "I seen yu practicin'. Go ahead. I wouldn't kill yu _naow_. Or if yu want practice in 'arnest, start to draw." He waited a moment, in easy insolence. I did not draw. "Let yore dander cool. Thar's no use yu tryin' to buck the Mormons. I've warned ye." And he passed on, cracking his lash. Suddenly I was aware that, as seemed, every eye in the camp had been fastened upon us two. My fingers shook while with show of nonchalance I resumed adjusting the halters. "Gosh! Looked for a minute like you and him was to have it out proper," Jenks commented, matter of fact, when I came in. "Hazin' you a bit, was he? What'd he say?" "He warned me to keep away from Mrs. Montoyo. Went so far as to lay claim to her himself, the whelp. Boasted of it." "Throwed it in your face, did he? Wall, you goin' to let him cache her away?" "Look here," I said desperately, still a-tremble: "Why do you men put that up to me? Why do you egg me on to interfere? She's no more to me than she is to you. Damn it, I'll take care of myself but I don't see why I should shoulder her, except that she's a woman and I won't see any woman mistreated." He pulled his whiskers, and grinned. "Dunno jest how fur you're elected. Looks like there was something between you and her--though I don't say for shore. But she's your kind; she may be a leetle devil, but she's your kind--been eddicated and acts the lady. She ain't our kind. Thunderation! What'd we do with her? She'd be better off marryin' Dan'l. He'd give her a home. If you hadn't been with this train I don't believe she'd have follered in. That's the proposition. You got to fight him anyway; he's set out to back you down. It's your fracas, isn't it?" "I know it," I admitted. "He's been ugly toward me from the first, without reason." "Reckoned to amuse himself. He's one o' them fellers that think to show off by ridin' somebody they think they can ride. The boys hate to see you lay down to that; for you'd better call him and eat lead or else quit the country. So you might as well give him a full dose and take the pot." "What pot?" "The woman, o' course." "I tell you, Mrs. Montoyo has nothing to do with it, any more than any woman. It's a matter between him and me--he began it by jeering at me before she appeared. I want her left out of it."