that's all. I want you to keep your remarks to yourself."
"I'll say what I please."
"Not about me."
"Won't I? Who will stop me?"
"I will."
"Go and blab, I suppose?"
"No; I'm not of the blabbing kind."
"Do you mean to say you'll fight?"
"Perhaps I will."
"You whipper-snapper!" he cried in a rage. "Take that for a lesson!"
He struck out heavily, and had I not been on the alert I would have caught his fist on my nose and gone down. But I leaped to one side and his hand merely grazed my shoulder.
By this time my blood was up, and, leaping in, I landed one blow on his chest and another on his mouth, which latter drew blood and loosened two of his teeth. I had taken several lessons in the art of self-defense and these now stood me in good stead. My blows sent him staggering up against a gun, where he stood gazing at me in bewildered astonishment.
"Wha—what did you do that for?" he spluttered, spitting out some blood.
"I warned you to take care," I answered coolly.
"A mill! A mill!" cried half a dozen jack
