Page:For the Liberty of Texas.djvu/226



" rascal! Get back, or I'll shoot!"

Such were the words which burst from Dan's lips as soon as he recovered sufficiently from his surprise to speak.

But Hank Stiger was already retreating, carrying the lighted tinder in his hand. He could not make out who was there, but saw it was somebody with a gun, and the sight of the weapon was enough for him.

"What's up?" came from Poke Stover, who had been snoring in the corner, and the old frontiersman scrambled to his feet and joined Dan at the doorway.

"There goes Hank Stiger! He was going to blow up the cabin with our keg of gunpowder."

"Can it be possible! I'll stop him." Stover ran outside. "Stop, Hank Stiger, or you're a dead man!" he called out, loudly.

But the half-breed was now running like a deer and paid no attention to the words. Taking hasty