"I would rather not discuss it. You may treat it as a jest, as cowardice, or what you like. I cannot control your treatment of the best thing an honest man has to give a woman." It left the girl standing on the tips of her toes in sheer surprise. She was at no time a dignified queen, but she was an inquisitive one. "But, Captain, you must not go away fearing that I--I shall treat lightly what you have said to me," she murmured. "Fearing? Why should I fear your ridicule more than that of others? You are brighter, more bewitching, more tantalising than any woman I have ever known--you are maddening--do you hear? Ah, I crave your pardon for so far forgetting myself as to dwell upon a matter which I should have forgotten in your displeasure. By the way, I should like to tell you why I will not accommodate these young fools with a duel, why I have controlled my natural desire to resent their insults. I have fought one duel and I have killed a man. These men would have no more chance than that man had. You may tell them so. Farewell!" She watched his tall figure move from her dooryard and disappear in the direction of the river. Then Kate sat down in the window and gazed half regretfully toward the opening in the timber through which he had passed. It began to occur to her that Captain Studdiford was somehow the superior of any man she had ever seen. She felt a joy that he had fought a duel, although the thought that he had killed a man caused her to shudder. With the shudder, however, came the relieved feeling that he had not been the victim. Her face flushed faintly, too, as she recalled his strange avowal of love. That same night a half dozen young men, with as many maids, dropped in to spend the chilly evening before the Colonel's roaring fires. They were toasting apples and chattering gaily when Kate suddenly turned to a young Virginian, and with taunting eyes, cried: "Morton Trask, I know why Captain Studdiford would not fight a duel with you." "So do I," responded Trask. "Because he feared me." "'Twas no such reason. He says he does not choose to kill anything but Indians." A big laugh went up from the men. "The fool! Did he say that to you?" cried Trask. "He truly did; and, besides, he has fought and killed a man." "Ho! Ho!" laughed Trask, disdainfully. "Did he stab him in the dark?" questioned Farring. "He lies if he says he fought aught save a boy," sneered Trask. "Yet he pulled your valiant nose until it was red for near a week," said Kate, cheerily. "Oh, would that I were at him--the coward!" cried Trask, white and trembling. "You can pull his nose when next you meet him, Morton, it is your turn, you know," said Kate, laughingly, and Trask glared at the burning logs in angry silence. "Please forgive me, Morton; I did not mean to hurt you by recalling a previous injury," cried Kate, and Trask's injury increased with her contrition. "I cannot see why you defend the Captain, Miss Fortune," ventured Farring.