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rew confused in explanations that she had not asked for。 She did inquire if he would return on the morrow； and Jerd； in mingled surprise and relief； assured her he would always work for her。 Jane missed the rattle and trot； canter and gallop of the incoming riders on the hard trails。 Dusk shaded the grove where she walked； the birds ceased singing； the wind sighed through the leaves of the cottonwoods； and the running water murmured down its stone…bedded channel。 The glimmering of the first star was like the peace and beauty of the night。 Her faith welled up in her heart and said that all would soon be right in her little world。 She pictured Venters about his lonely camp…fire sitting between his faithful dogs。 She prayed for his safety； for the success of his undertaking。
Early the next morning one of Jane's women brought in word that Judkins wished to speak to her。 She hurried out； and in her surprise to see him armed with rifle and revolver； she forgot her intention to inquire about his wound。
〃Judkins！ Those guns？ You never carried guns。〃
〃It's high time； Miss Withersteen；〃 he replied。 〃Will you come into the grove？ It ain't jest exactly safe for me to be seen here。〃
She walked with him into the shade of the cottonwoods。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Miss Withersteen； I went to my mother's house last night。 While there； some one knocked； an' a man asked for me。 I went to the door。 He wore a mask。 He said I'd better not ride any more for Jane Withersteen。 His voice was hoarse an' strange； disguised I reckon； like his face。 He said no more； an' ran off in the dark。〃
〃Did you know who he was？〃 asked Jane； in a low voice。
Jane did not ask to know； she did not want to know； she feared to know。 All her calmness fled at a single thought
〃Thet's why I'm packin' guns；〃 went on Judkins。 〃For I'll never quit ridin' for you； Miss Withersteen； till you let me go。〃
〃Judkins； do you want to leave me？〃
〃Do I look thet way？ Give me a hossa fast hoss； an' send me out on the sage。〃
〃Oh； thank you； Judkins！ You're more faithful than my own people。 I ought not accept your loyaltyyou might suffer more through it。 But what in the world can I do？ My head whirls。 The wrong to Ventersthe stolen herdthese masks； threats； this coil in the dark！ I can't understand！ But I feel something dark and terrible closing in around me。〃
〃Miss Withersteen； it's all simple enough；〃 said Judkins； earnestly。 〃Now please listenan' beggin' your pardonjest turn thet deaf Mormon ear aside； an' let me talk clear an' plain in the other。 I went around to the saloons an' the stores an' the loafin' places yesterday。 All your riders are in。 There's talk of a vigilance band organized to hunt down rustlers。 They call themselves 'The Riders。' Thet's the reportthet's the reason given for your riders leavin' you。 Strange thet only a few riders of other ranchers joined the band！ An' Tull's man； Jerry Card he's the leader。 I seen him en' his hoss。 He 'ain't been to Glaze。 I'm not easy to fool on the looks of a hoss thet's traveled the sage。 Tull an' Jerry didn't ride to Glaze！。。。Well； I met Blake en' Dorn； both good friends of mine； usually； as far as their Mormon lights will let 'em go。 But these fellers couldn't fool me； an' they didn't try very hard。 I asked them； straight out like a man； why they left you like thet。 I didn't forget to mention how you nursed Blake's poor old mother when she was sick； an' how good you was to Dorn's kids。 They looked ashamed； Miss Withersteen。 An' they jest froze upthet dark set look thet makes them strange an' different to me。 But I could tell the difference between thet first natural twinge of conscience an' the later look of some secret thing。 An' the difference I caught was thet they couldn't help themselves。 They hadn't no say in the matter。 They looked as if their bein' unfaithful to you was bein' faithful to a higher duty。 An' there's the secret。 Why it's as plain asas sight of my gun here。〃
〃Plain！。。。My herds to wander in the sageto be stolen！ Jane Withersteen a poor woman！ Her head to be brought low and her spirit broken！。。。Why； Judkins； it's plain enough。〃
〃Miss Withersteen； let me get what boys I can gather； an' hold the white herd。 It's on the slope now； not ten miles outthree thousand head； an' all steers。 They're wild； an' likely to stampede at the pop of a jack…rabbit's ears。 We'll camp right with them； en' try to hold them。〃
〃Judkins； I'll reward you some day for your service； unless all is taken from me。 Get the boys and tell Jerd to give you pick of my horses； except Black Star and Night。 Butdo not shed blood for my cattle nor heedlessly risk your lives。〃
Jane Withersteen rushed to the silence and seclusion of her room； and there could not longer hold back the bursting of her wrath。 She went stone…blind in the fury of a passion that had never before showed its power。 Lying upon her bed； sightless； voiceless； she was a writhing； living flame。 And she tossed there while her fury burned and burned； and finally burned itself out。
Then； weak and spent； she lay thinking； not of the oppression that would break her； but of this new revelation of self。 Until the last few days there had been little in her life to rouse passions。 Her forefathers had been Vikings； savage chieftains who bore no cross and brooked no hindrance to their will。 Her father had inherited that temper； and at times； like antelope fleeing before fire on the slope； his people fled from his red rages。 Jane Withersteen realized that the spirit of wrath and war had lain dormant in her。 She shrank from black depths hitherto unsuspected。 The one thing in man or woman that she scorned above all scorn； and which she could not forgive； was hate。 Hate headed a flaming pathway straight to hell。 All in a flash； beyond her control there had been in her a birth of fiery hate。 And the man who had dragged her peaceful and loving spirit to this degradation was a minister of God's word； an Elder of her church； the counselor of her beloved Bishop。
The loss of herds and ranges； even of Amber Spring and the Old Stone House； no longer concerned Jane Withersteen； she faced the foremost thought of her life； what she now considered the mightiest problemthe salvation of her soul。
She knelt by her bedside and prayed； she prayed as she had never prayed in all her lifeprayed to be forgiven for her sin to be immune from that dark； hot hate； to love Tull as her minister； though she could not love him as a man； to do her duty by her church and people and those dependent upon her bounty； to hold reverence of God and womanhood inviolate。
When Jane Withersteen rose from that storm of wrath and prayer for help she was serene； calm； surea changed woman。 She would do her duty as she saw it； live her life as her own truth guided her。 She might never be able to marry a man of her choice； but she certainly never would become the wife of Tull。 Her churchmen might take her cattle and horses； ranges and fields； her corrals and stables； the house of Withersteen and the water that nourished the village of Cottonwoods； but they could not force her to marry Tull； they could not change her decision or break her spirit。 Once resigned to further loss； and sure of herself； Jane Withersteen attained a peace of mind that had not been hers for a year。 She forgave Tull； and felt a melancholy regret over what she knew he considered duty； irrespective of his personal feeling for her。 First of all； Tull； as he was a man； wanted her for himself； and secondly； he hoped to save her and her riches for his church。 She did not believe that Tull had been actuated solely by his minister's zeal to save her soul。 She doubted her interpretation of one of his dark sayingsthat if she were lost to him she might as well be lost to heaven。 Jane Withersteen's common sense took arms against the binding limits of her religion； and she doubted that her Bishop； whom she had been taught had direct communication with Godwould damn her soul for refusing to marry a Mormon。 As for Tull and his churchmen； when they had harassed her； perhaps made her poor； they would find her unchangeable； and then she would get back most of what she had lost。 So she reasoned； true at last to her faith in all men； and in their