Redburn foresaw trouble in the intrusion of the road-agents and Fearless Frank, although he knew not the character or calling of the former, and he resolved to make one bold stroke in defense of the mines.

“Go to the quartz mines as quickly as you can!” he said, addressing Nix, “and call every man to his arms.  Then rally them out here, where I will be waiting with the remainder of our forces, and we will see what can be done.  If it is to be a fight for our rights, a desperate fight it shall be.”

The “General” hurried off with as much alacrity as was possible, with him, toward the quartz mine, while Redburn likewise made haste to visit the shaft and collect together his handful of men.

He passed the cabin on the way, and, seeing Anita seated in the doorway, he came to a momentary halt.

“You had better go inside and lock the doors and windows behind you,” he said, advisingly.  “There are invaders in the gulch, and we must try and effect a settlement with them; so it is not desirable that they should see you.”

“You are not going to fight them?”

“Yes, if they will not come to reasonable terms which I shall name.  Why?”

“Oh! don’t fight.  You will get killed.”

“Humph! what of that?  Who would care if I were killed?”

“I would, for one, Mr. Redburn.”

The miner’s heart gave a great bound, and he gazed into the pure white face of the girl, passionately.  Was it possible that she had in her heart anything akin to love, for him?  Already be had conceived a passing fancy for her, which might ripen into love, in time.

“Thanks!” he said, catching up her hand and pressing it to his lips.  “Those words, few as they are, make me happy, Miss Anita.  But, stop!  I must away.  Go inside, and keep shady until you see me again;” and so saying he hurried on.

In ten minutes’ time two score of brawny, half-dressed Utes were rallied in the valley, and Redburn was at their head, accompanied by the “General.”

“I will now go forward and hold parley,” said Harry, as he wrapped a kerchief about the muzzle of his rifle-barrel.  “If you see me fall, you can calculate that it’s about time for you to sling in a chunk of your lip.”

He had fallen into the habit of talking in an illiterate fashion, since his association with the “General.”

“All right,” assented the old locater; “ef they try ter salt ye, jes’ giv’ a squawk, an’ we’ll cum a-tearin’ down ter yer resky at ther rate o’ forty hours a mile, more or less—­consider’bly more o’ less than less o’ more.”

Redburn buckled his belt a hole tighter, looked to his two revolvers, and set out on his mission.

The road-agents had, in the mean time, circled off to the right of the fissure, and formed into a compact body, where they halted and watched the rallying of the savages in the valley.

Fearless Frank and his lovely companion remained where they had first halted, awaiting developments.  They had stumbled into Paradise and were both surprised and bewildered.