Frank Merriwell's Champions

t suppose Nell will be very glad to see me, and probably she will think I came back purposely. Bu

muffling the sound of his footsteps. But at the corner of the c

iwell, and I came down

with the hissing emphasis of intense hate, reache

on the lakeside, but I overheard him talking last night, and caught on to the whole t

, but from behind it, where, as Bruce recoll

nd himself unexpectedly weak and violently trembling, and lis

wisht he'd never set hoof in these hyar mountings, 'fore he's a week older! Ef he

time las' year, too!" another and younger voice put in.

was Bob," Browning reflected, straining his ears to catch e

discovered, for I can't forget that you're related to me, even though we live so differently. I could

ver did seem like t'other big-bugs up ter ther village, an' 't

ated to me. If you go gunning for that fellow, I want to warn you to keep your eyes open.

mitted. "The guv'ment don't send no other kind out ter hunt

d Ward Hammond closed the knife

ar ter-night?" the

usky tone. "Ef you hev a thing ter do, do it. Them's my sentime

ng inwardly groaned, almost afraid to move an eyelid lest it should bring discovery. "

med little better than squirrel tracks, where he had already lost himself, and coul

caught the odor of burning tobacco. Then he noticed that the moon was rising be

d. "But I'm afraid it's going to puzzle me to

ent had trained him down into fair condition for running, and the malarial trouble that seemed to have fastened on him had not yet materially affected h

e lived by the

d an' lo

thar fur ten

er fathe

al, but it had the piping

a sigh of relief. "I guess her arm was not so badly hurt by that arrow as I fancied

ree and Nell's answer to his words. But he heard only Nell singing of that other mountain girl who went sleighing to a

ld have been given another turn, for he was neve

moon's silver rim. His instant thought was that Bruce was the man against whom he and Bob Thornton had been warned-that here was the officer of

Bruce. He was smoking and nursing a heavy stick, almost a club, which he habi

oes, then stole with catlike steps around the b

d by the faint moonlight, was distorted with rage and hate, and his grip on the deadly club was so tense

the cabin wall, listening for the words he

ised the club for a brief instant, then

terrible blow. Bruce straightened his head and tried to

and striking the head a glancing blow, unde

e as Browning fell, reached the ears of Ne

of the cabin

r of the cabin, and saw the man standing over the senseless form, with the mu

Turner harshly commanded. "Go back inter the house, whar ye

e, ef murder is bein

over Browning, and recognized in him the yout

d fallen, without mov

d, facing the mountaineer, with white fa

. "An' I'll kill ever' other revnoo spy that the g

ds, and again bent over Browning, even as he had bent ov

by the shoulders an

you'll hatter answer fur killin' a man that never harmed ye. You'll hatter answer fur it 'fore God, and that

ng lift at the shoulde

raised the

d, flying at him with the fe

rush, and she tore the club from his hands

in myself," she declared, again seek

Turner, moved by curiosity rather than pity, consented to

pected Bruce's injuries, while Nell stood by,

ke the

never hed nuthin ter do with the revnoo. He belongs up ter the villag

. I reckon, now, you must hev thought 'cause he air a revnoo spy that he'd be goin' 'roun' through the mountings a-hollerin' out his bizn

oaned again

r declared. "That club didn't ketch him squar'

him ag'in!" Nell screamed,

hen he gits back. He's out now a-aimin' an' a-contrivin' fer a safe plan ter git at this feller, an' w

ed towar

, Sam Turner?" Nell demanded, her e

her and hurled

t'other room, an' tie him up fer yer ole dad ter look at when he gits back. I

y the shoulders, dragged him into the adjoining room, the only

elighted his pipe, took down a long rifle from its rack, and, seating himself in the doorway in a rude, hickory-bottomed chair, he