“Ah! you’re afraid,” sneered the other.
There was a movement among the horsemen, and the man so charged rode up to the head of the column and pulled his horse in front of the leader. There was a gleam of steel in the light of the moon.
“Take that back, or I’ll make you prove it,” he said, angrily. “Ride out there and draw your pistol; we’ll let Jim here give the word, and we’ll see who’s afraid.”
Their companions crowded around them to make peace. The leader apologized. The sentiment of the crowd was evidently against him.
“Now get down and fix up your notice to Leech, and let’s be going,” said one of the peacemakers.
The leader dismounted and started up to the door. As he did so, one of the two young women stepped forward.
SHE GAVE A STEP FORWARD AND WITH A QUICK MOVEMENT PULLED THE MASK FROM HIS FACE.
“What do you want?” asked Mrs. Stamper. The man positively staggered from surprise, and a murmur of astonishment broke from the horsemen. Mrs. Stamper did not give them time to recover. With true soldierly instinct she pressed her advantage. “I know what you want,” she said, with scorn. “You want to scare a poor woman who ain’t got anybody to defend her. You ain’t so much against niggers and carpet-baggers as you make out. I know you.”