“So that’s that,” he said coolly. “Too bad I had to use the stick, Miss Nelly, but you spoke the truth when you said I was done up. Don’t worry about him--he’ll come around after a bit. Do you suppose you could find me a bit of dry tobacco? Then we’ll sit down and talk things over.” For a moment the girl looked at him. She was blue of eye and black of hair, and the color was high in her cheeks; and when she smiled there came a dimple on either side of her mouth, and her body held a spring of the foot and a supple grace of round lines that the school-teaching had not taken out of her. Suddenly a laugh broke in her eyes. “Hughie had it coming, I think,” said she, and turned. “I’ll get you the tobacco.” She got him some, and sat down at the fire and watched him stuff it into his pipe and light it with an ember. Hughie Dunlevy lay where he had fallen. “Father and the other boys will be back in an hour or sooner,” she said. “I think you’d better go and get that canoe of yours, and be off while you have the chance.” Hardrock gave her a swift look, then chuckled. “Oh! Saw me land, did you? No, I’m not going, thanks. I’m staying.” “Then you’ll have trouble, I’m afraid.” He shrugged, and lay back on one elbow, smoking contentedly. “Very likely. Eddie John Macaulay thought he worked a smooth trick when he sold me this end of the island, timber and all, but I’d been warned beforehand. I spent the night at St. James and went up to the dance and had a grand time. Connie Dunlevy had too much moonshine, though, and this morning he started to make trouble.” “Listen, please!” said the girl, an urgent note in her voice. “You can’t take this seriously--but you must! You don’t understand. You’ll not be allowed to stay, after all that’s happened. Who was shooting out in the channel? What boat was that I saw sinking?” Hardrock took the pipe from his lips and regarded her for a moment. “My dear Nelly,” he said quietly, “I’m afraid you’re the one who doesn’t understand. Did you ever hear of Danny Gallagher?” Her eyes opened at that. “Danny? Why of course! His father Vesty owns the sawmill down at the head of the island. But Danny has been away two years, in Arizona.” “And I’ve come from Arizona,” said Hardrock. “That’s where I got my nickname. I’ve been running a mine out there, and Danny has been working with me. He’s a fine boy, Danny is! He told me so much about the islands that I came up here when I got a year off, and I’m going to settle down in a cabin here under the trees, and finish writing a mining book for engineers. Danny has written his father about me. I meant to look up Vesty, but haven’t had a chance yet.” * * * * * The troubled comprehension in the blue eyes of the girl deepened at this.