You can't never face that whole crowd alone." "I can do it better'n Dad, and him not a lookin' for them." Slipping the bridle from the sorrel, he turned the animal loose, and, removing his coat and hat, laid them with the saddle.

Then to the girl on the pony he said sharply, "Go on, Sammy.

Why don't you go on?
Don't you see how you're losin' time?
Them devils will do for Dad Howitt like they done for old man Lewis.

Your father's the only man can stop 'em now.

Ride hard, girl, and tell Jim to hurry.
And--and, good-by, Sammy." As he finished, he spoke to her horse and struck him such a blow that the animal sprang away.
For a moment Sammy attempted to pull up her startled pony.