“And you say that your rescuer is here?” Weston at length asked.  “When did he come, and where is he staying?”

“We saved him from a raft out on the lake just before that fearful storm,” Glen faintly replied.  “He was almost dead, and in a minute more he would have been drowned.  Oh, it was terrible!  He is now at Sconda’s.”

“Another miner’s trick, I suppose, to get here,” Weston growled.  “It has been tried before, but with scanty success.  This must be one more fool who was trying the same game.”

“He is not a fool,” Glen stoutly protested, lifting her eyes defiantly to her father’s face.  “Mr. Reynolds is a gentleman.  He is different from the rest of the miners.”

“What was he doing out on the lake?” her father asked.

“He got lost in the hills, and nearly died.  He drifted down the Tasan River on a raft which he built.  He was almost starved to death.”

“And what was he doing in the hills?”

“Prospecting, so he told me.  He was with Frontier Samson, and, going after a moose, lost his way.”

“H’m,” Weston grunted.  “A trumped-up yarn, no doubt.  Don’t you think it looks rather suspicious?”

“It might if it were someone else.  But he is different, and I believe he told me the truth.”

“Well, we shall soon find out, Glen.  If he begins any of his lies or fancy tales to me, he will learn his mistake.  I am not going to have any young man wandering about this region, let me tell you that.  It has been tried too often already, so we might as well make a special example of him in order to warn others.  It’s the ‘Ordeal’ for him, all right.”

At these words Glen sprang to her feet and confronted her father.  Her eyes were blazing with intense emotion, and Jim Weston stared at her in amazement.  A feeling of pride welled up within him at her appearance and courage.

“You shall not lay hands on him,” Glen passionately declared.  “He is an innocent man, and it would be unjust to hurt him.”

“Glen, Glen, what is the meaning of this?” her father demanded.  “You seem to be greatly interested in this fellow.  I am surprised at you.”

“I am interested, daddy.  Nay, I am more than interested, for I love him with my whole heart, so there.  Don’t you dare to touch him.”

The strain of this interview was telling upon Glen.  As soon as this confession had left her lips, she was wild with regret.  Why had she done this? she asked herself, as she stood with big staring eyes watching her father.  What would he say?  What would he not do to her?  Her body trembled, a weakness swept upon her, and sinking down into her chair, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed as if her heart would break.

If Jim Weston was astonished before, he was dumbfounded now at what his daughter had told him.  His heart went out in a great rush of pity to his only child and he longed to take her in his arms and comfort her.  But he felt that he must be firm and not give way to any feeling of emotion at a time like this.  Instead, he laid his hand somewhat heavily upon her shoulder.