"Hit was a brother of mine as fought that fight with John Vaughn. I
used to believe in the feud, but I don't now. It's a wicked thing to
seek people's lives. Both sides have suffered enough, Ralph, and I say
let there be peace."

"Amen," muttered the lad heartily.

"But what I wanted to let you know was about this Captain Shard, as
Dopples wants you to go and see. My man never quarrels with
nobody--bless his old soul! Therefore, he never 'spicious that any of
his friends would want to, either. There's where he is wrong."

"Yes; but I don't see how that can apply to Captain Shard, whom I never
heard of before."

"I know you don't, but I do. Captain Shard's mother was a Vaughn.
Now, do you see?"

"Good gracious! But it seems to me as if that don't amount to much.
Why should this man want to hurt me?"

"Hold on. This man Shard's mother was sister to the Vaughn who killed
your father, and whom my brother had fought on account of it. Don't
you see? When Shard learns who you are, his Vaughn blood is more than
apt to prompt him to do you some harm."

"They don't shoot people in the town the way we do in the mountains,
aunt. I've read that the law is too strong for that."