The girl was stricken. She understood the outlaw's reference. Somehow he had gained certain knowledge of Zeke's part in saving the Quaker-school-teacher spy. She realized that the criminal gang would not hesitate at the murder of one who had thus foiled them. For the moment, she gave no heed to the danger that menaced herself as well. Her whole concern was for her lover. The single comfort came from the fact of his absence. Much as she had been longing for his coming, her prayer now was that he should not return until these men were imprisoned.
With a fierce effort toward bravery in the face of catastrophe, Plutina stood up, and drew herself proudly erect. Her dark eyes flashed wrathfully. She spoke with disdain: "Ye wouldn't dast say that to Zeke Higgins' teeth. Mebby, he hain't so thick through as you-all, and he hain't so thick-headed, nuther. An' he hain't no runt, as ye'd find quick 'nuf, if so be's ye dast stand up to him, man to man, 'stid o' with a gun from the laurel. He's a man--what you-all hain't. He hain't the kind to layway from the bushes, ner to be a-stealin' his neighbor's cattle an' hawgs. An' what's more Dan Hodges, ef ye say as how Zeke ever reported ary still, ye're a hell-bustin' liar!"
Her jibes were powerless against the coarse-fibered brute. He grinned malevolently as he jeered at her.
"Thar, now! Hain't it a pity to have a sweetheart what hain't brave 'nuf to stand 'is ground, an' runs off, an' leaves 'is gal to fit fer 'im." Then, abruptly, the moonshiner's expression changed to one meant to be ingratiating. "Wall, now, Miss Plutiny, I shore likes the way ye stan's up fer the pore cuss. But, arter all, hes' done up and left ye. An' he hain't comin' back. Hit wouldn't be healthy fer him to come back," he added, savagely. "An' what's more, ye hain't a-gwine to jine 'im whar he's at. The Hodges' crowd won't stan' fer no sech! He's been writ, Zeke Higgins has, with the sign o' the skull an' the cross--the hull thing. Ye know what thet means, I reckon."
Plutina blenched, and seated herself again, weakly. It was true, she knew the fantastic rigmarole, which made absurd the secret dictates of these illiterate desperadoes. But that absurdity meant death, none the less--death for the one she loved. In her misery, she listened almost apathetically as Hodges went on talking in his heavy, grating voice.
"Zeke Higgins knows as how the Allens give us the word 'bout 'is crossin' Bull Head with the spy. He knows thet, if 'e shows up in this-hyar kentry ag'in, the Devil's Pot'll have 'im fer a b'ilin'. An' thet's 'nuf fer Zeke's case. Now, we'll jest chin a mite 'bout your'n."