"See here!" resumed Glenning. "I know why you went to Jericho. Now listen. If you begin spreading lies about me in this community you shall suffer. Tell the truth--the whole truth--and I'll not say a word. But you don't know the whole truth, nor any part of it. You didn't go to get the truth, but all the low, indecent scandal and gossip you could scrape together. Usually that side is not as hard to get as the other. It is not my fault that we have been enemies from the night I came to Macon. I would not have you for a friend, believe me, but we might at least have been civil. You've heard a great deal of stuff while you were away that your informants wouldn't repeat to my face. And I tell you they are all lies! Did you voice any of them to Miss--to her?" Again Marston felt the truth dragged from him. But a sardonic smile of malicious pleasure spread over his face as he answered-- "I told her a little about my trip, and how a certain friend of hers had another sweetheart back up there, but she broke away before I could tell her all--" "_Broke_ away!--Devil! Did you hold her?" Restraint for the moment was cast aside. Glenning's long hands grasped each of Marston's arms just below the shoulders, and so he held him motionless. "I didn't touch her!" was the snarling answer. "I held the damned colt by the bridle until she drew on me--" John flung him backward with an oath. "_Strip!_" He hissed out the word with sibilant wrath, and threw off his light coat. Then, trembling the least bit while fighting inwardly for calm, he began rolling back his sleeves. He ceased these preparations long enough to toss his hat upon his coat and discard tie and collar. Marston cast another hungry look at the revolver, while making no move to comply with the order he had received. Glenning came towards him. "Are you going to fight, or must I slap your face, you dog?" The concluding word gave Marston a happy thought, and he quickly pursed his heavy lips, and whistled shrilly. He had no mind for an encounter with the young man where the weapons employed would be fists alone. He was probably stronger, but he secretly felt that he would be punished severely should they come to blows. He had much rather that his boar-hound fight for him, so he issued the summons. "No more of that!" said John, sternly. "Make another sound and I strike you, whether you are prepared or not. Are you coming, or shall I break a switch from one of your bushes, and lay you across my knee?"