"I'll go with you, Horton, and make a sketch or two," volunteered George Lescott, who just then arrived from town. "And, by the way, Samson, here's a letter that came for you just as I left the studio." The mountaineer took the envelope with a Hixon postmark, and for an instant gazed at it with a puzzled expression. It was addressed in a feminine hand, which he did not recognize. It was careful, but perfect, writing, such as one sees in a school copybook. With an apology he tore the covering, and read the letter. Adrienne, glancing at his face, saw it suddenly pale and grow as set and hard as marble. Samson's eyes were dwelling with only partial comprehension on the script. This is what he read: "DEAR SAMSON: The war is on again. Tamarack Spicer has killed Jim Asberry, and the Hollmans have killed Tamarack. Uncle Spicer is shot, but he may get well. There is nobody to lead the Souths. I am trying to hold them down until I hear from you. Don't come if you don't want to--but the gun is ready. With love, SALLY." CHAPTER XXV Samson, throwing things hurriedly into his bag, heard a knock on his door. He opened it, and outside in the hall stood Adrienne. Her face was pale, and she leaned a little on the hand which rested against the white jamb. "What does it mean?" she asked. He came over. "It means, Drennie," he said, "that you may make a pet of a leopard cub, but there will come a day when something of the jungle comes out in him --and he must go. My uncle has been shot, and the feud is on--I've been sent for." He paused, and she half-whispered in an appealing voice: "Don't go." "You don't mean that," he said, quietly. "If it were you, you would go. Whether I get back here or not"--he hesitated--"my gratitude will be with you--always." He broke off, and said suddenly: "Drennie, I don't want to say good-by to you. I can't." "It's not necessary yet," she answered. "I'm going to drive you to New York." "No!" he exclaimed. "It's too far, and I've got to go fast----" "That's why I'm going," she promptly assured him. "I'm the only fool on these premises that can get all the speed out of a car that's in her engine--and the constables are good to me. I just came up here to--" she hesitated, then added--"to see you alone for a moment, and to say that teacher has never had such a bright little pupil, in her life--and--" the flippancy with which she was masking her feeling broke and she added, in a shaken voice as she thrust out her hand, man-fashion--"and to say, God keep you, boy." He seized the hand in both his own, and gripped it hard. He tried to speak, but only shook his head with a rueful smile. "I'll be waiting at the door with the car," she told him, as she left. Horton, too, came in to volunteer assistance.