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appeared it was suddenly and noiselessly out of the dark shadow of the grove。
〃I left Bells out in the sage；〃 he said； one day at the end of that week。 〃I must carry water to him。〃
〃Why not let him drink at the trough or here？〃 asked Jane； quickly。
〃I reckon it'll be safer for me to slip through the grove。 I've been watched when I rode in from the sage。〃
〃Watched？ By whom？〃
〃By a man who thought he was well hid。 But my eyes are pretty sharp。 An'； Jane；〃 he went on； almost in a whisper； 〃I reckon it'd be a good idea for us to talk low。 You're spied on here by your women。〃
〃Lassiter！〃 she whispered in turn。 〃That's hard to believe。 My women love me。〃
〃What of that？〃 he asked。 〃Of course they love you。 But they're Mormon women。〃
Jane's old； rebellious loyalty clashed with her doubt。
〃I won't believe it；〃 she replied； stubbornly。
〃Well then； just act natural an' talk natural； an' pretty soongive them time to hear uspretend to go over there to the table； en' then quick…like make a move for the door en' open it。〃
〃I will；〃 said Jane； with heightened color。 Lassiter was right； he never made mistakes； he would not have told her unless he positively knew。 Yet Jane was so tenacious of faith that she had to see with her own eyes； and so constituted that to employ even such small deceit toward her women made her ashamed； and angry for her shame as well as theirs。 Then a singular thought confronted her that made her hold up this simple ruse which hurt her； though it was well justifiedagainst the deceit she had wittingly and eagerly used toward Lassiter。 The difference was staggering in its suggestion of that blindness of which he had accused her。 Fairness and justice and mercy； that she had imagined were anchor…cables to hold fast her soul to righteousness had not been hers in the strange； biased duty that had so exalted and confounded her。
Presently Jane began to act her little part； to laugh and play with Fay； to talk of horses and cattle to Lassiter。 Then she made deliberate mention of a book in which she kept records of all pertaining to her stock； and she walked slowly toward the table； and when near the door she suddenly whirled and thrust it open。 Her sharp action nearly knocked down a woman who had undoubtedly been listening。
〃Hester；〃 said Jane； sternly； 〃you may go home； and you need not come back。〃
Jane shut the door and returned to Lassiter。 Standing unsteadily； she put her hand on his arm。 She let him see that doubt had gone； and how this stab of disloyalty pained her。
〃Spies！ My own women！。。。Oh； miserable！〃 she cried； with flashing； tearful eyes。
〃I hate to tell you；〃 he replied。 By that she knew he had long spared her。 〃It's begun againthat work in the dark。〃
〃Nay； Lassiterit never stopped！〃
So bitter certainty claimed her at last； and trust fled Withersteen House and fled forever。 The women who owed much to Jane Withersteen changed not in love for her； nor in devotion to their household work； but they poisoned both by a thousand acts of stealth and cunning and duplicity。 Jane broke out once and caught them in strange； stone…faced； unhesitating falsehood。 Thereafter she broke out no more。 She forgave them because they were driven。 Poor； fettered； and sealed Hagars； how she pitied them！ What terrible thing bound them and locked their lips； when they showed neither consciousness of guilt toward their benefactress nor distress at the slow wearing apart of long…established and dear ties？
〃The blindness again！〃 cried Jane Withersteen。 〃In my sisters as in me！。。。O God！〃
There came a time when no words passed between Jane and her women。 Silently they went about their household duties； and secretly they went about the underhand work to which they had been bidden。 The gloom of the house and the gloom of its mistress； which darkened even the bright spirit of little Fay； did not pervade these women。 Happiness was not among them； but they were aloof from gloom。 They spied and listened； they received and sent secret messengers； and they stole Jane's books and records； and finally the papers that were deeds of her possessions。 Through it all they were silent； rapt in a kind of trance。 Then one by one； without leave or explanation or farewell； they left Withersteen House； and never returned。
Coincident with this disappearance Jane's gardeners and workers in the alfalfa fields and stable men quit her； not even asking for their wages。 Of all her Mormon employees about the great ranch only Jerd remained。 He went on with his duty； but talked no more of the change than if it had never occurred。
〃Jerd；〃 said Jane； 〃what stock you can't take care of turn out in the sage。 Let your first thought be for Black Star and Night。 Keep them in perfect condition。 Run them every day and watch them always。〃
Though Jane Withersteen gave them such liberality； she loved her possessions。 She loved the rich； green stretches of alfalfa； and the farms； and the grove； and the old stone house； and the beautiful； ever…faithful amber spring； and every one of a myriad of horses and colts and burros and fowls down to the smallest rabbit that nipped her vegetables； but she loved best her noble Arabian steeds。 In common with all riders of the upland sage Jane cherished two material thingsthe cold； sweet； brown water that made life possible in the wilderness and the horses which were a part of that life。 When Lassiter asked her what Lassiter would be without his guns he was assuming that his horse was part of himself。 So Jane loved Black Star and Night because it was her nature to love all beautiful creaturesperhaps all living things； and then she loved them because she herself was of the sage and in her had been born and bred the rider's instinct to rely on his four…footed brother。 And when Jane gave Jerd the order to keep her favorites trained down to the day it was a half…conscious admission that presaged a time when she would need her fleet horses。
Jane had now； however； no leisure to brood over the coils that were closing round her。 Mrs。 Larkin grew weaker as the August days began； she required constant care； there was little Fay to look after； and such household work as was imperative。 Lassiter put Bells in the stable with the other racers； and directed his efforts to a closer attendance upon Jane。 She welcomed the change。 He was always at hand to help； and it was her fortune to learn that his boast of being awkward around women had its root in humility and was not true。
His great； brown hands were skilled in a multiplicity of ways which a woman might have envied。 He shared Jane's work； and was of especial help to her in nursing Mrs。 Larkin。 The woman suffered most at night； and this often broke Jane's rest。 So it came about that Lassiter would stay by Mrs。 Larkin during the day； when she needed care； and Jane would make up the sleep she lost in night…watches。 Mrs。 Larkin at once took kindly to the gentle Lassiter； and； without ever asking who or what he was； praised him to Jane。 〃He's a good man and loves children；〃 she said。 How sad to hear this truth spoken of a man whom Jane thought lost beyond all redemption！ Yet ever and ever Lassiter towered above her； and behind or through his black； sinister figure shone something luminous that strangely affected Jane。 Good and evil began to seem incomprehensibly blended in her judgment。 It was her belief that evil could not come forth from good； yet here was a murderer who dwarfed in gentleness； patience； and love any man she had ever known。
She had almost lost track of her more outside concerns when early one morning Judkins presented himself before her in the courtyard。
Thin； hard； burnt； bearded； with the dust and sage thick on him； with his leather wrist…bands shining from use； and his boots worn through on the stirrup side； he looked the rider of riders。 He wore two guns and carried a Winchester。
Jane greeted him with surprise and warmth； set meat and bread and drink before him； and called Lassiter out to see him。 The men exchanged glances； and the meaning of Lassiter's keen inquiry and Judkins's bold reply； both unspoken； was not lost upon Jane。
〃Where's your hoss？〃 asked Lassiter； aloud。
〃Left him down the slope；〃 answered Judkins。 〃I f