"It is an outrage! You have no right to come here and make trouble. Fairfax, if that ruffian touches you----" Foster Fairfax motioned the speaker to be silent. "This man is not a ruffian," he declared, speaking as calmly as possible. "There is a misunderstanding between us. I have wronged him, and he has a right to seek satisfaction." The man's companions were astonished by his words. They looked at him in a dazed way. Even the Hermit seemed a trifle surprised, but he said: "It is true, and I demand satisfaction. Draw and defend yourself, Fairfax!" "No; you have not wronged me. Here, March--here is my heart! Shoot! You cannot miss it at this distance." Preston March, the Hermit of Yellowstone Park, half lifted the weapon which he had drawn. Then he fell back a step, hoarsely saying: "Would you put a curse upon me by making me a murderer? You have a weapon. Draw it, and we will play fair and even. It shall be a duel to the death at twenty paces. One of us shall die! The other can go back to----" "Hold! Speak not the name here! I tell you, Preston, there was a blunder--a frightful blunder. If you will listen----" "You will tell me a mess of lies. A man who would deceive his best friend as you deceived me would not hesitate to lie with his last breath!" "You shall judge if I lie. If you demand that I meet you, I demand that you first listen to my explanation." "If I must----" "On no other condition will I meet you." "But there are others to hear. Will you speak before them?" "No. Come aside where no one but ourselves may hear." The Hermit bowed, and they walked away, keeping several feet apart. "Wa-al," drawled Old Rocks, "we don't seem ter be in thet none whatever, an' so we'd best make ourselves easy." He flung himself down upon the ground, produced his black pipe and a plug of tobacco, and began preparing for a smoke, whittling off the tobacco with his bowie-knife. The campers drew aside and talked among themselves, regarding their uninvited visitors with suspicion, which did not disturb the guide at all. Frank was restless. He walked up and down, keeping his eyes on Fairfax and the Hermit, who had halted at a distance and were talking earnestly. In the east the streaky clouds had flushed to a deep red and paled again to richest gold. To the west the mighty mountains which rose beyond the lake were wrapped in garments of rose. The light of day had spread itself over all the heavens, and the sun was shooting glittering glances above the horizon. The campers began to move about. Wood was piled upon the ashes where the last embers of the old fire still smoldered, and the crackling of a match was followed by a blaze. Some of the campers prepared breakfast, while one of them approached Old Rocks, whom he questioned concerning the Hermit.