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Jane's listening ear soon caught a faint； rapid； rhythmic beat of hoofs。 It came from the sage。 It gave her a thrill that she was at a loss to understand。 The sound rose stronger； louder。 Then came a clear； sharp difference when the horse passed from the sage trail to the hard…packed ground of the grove。 It became a ringing runswift in its bell…like clatterings； yet singular in longer pause than usual between the hoofbeats of a horse。
〃It's Wrangle！。。。It's Wrangle！〃 cried Jane Withersteen。 〃I'd know him from a million horses！〃
Excitement and thrilling expectancy flooded out all Jane Withersteen s calm。 A tight band closed round her breast as she saw the giant sorrel flit in reddish…brown flashes across the openings in the green。 Then he was pounding down the lanethundering into the courtcrashing his great iron…shod hoofs on the stone flags。 Wrangle it was surely； but shaggy and wild…eyed； and sage…streaked； with dust…caked lather staining his flanks。 He reared and crashed down and plunged。 The rider leaped off； threw the bridle； and held hard on a lasso looped round Wrangle's head and neck。 Janet's heart sank as she tried to recognize Venters in the rider。 Something familiar struck her in the lofty stature in the sweep of powerful shoulders。 But this bearded； longhaired； unkempt man； who wore ragged clothes patched with pieces of skin； and boots that showed bare legs and feetthis dusty； dark； and wild rider could not possibly be Venters。
〃Whoa； Wrangle； old boy！ Come down。 Easy now。 Sososo。 You re home； old boy； and presently you can have a drink of water you'll remember。〃
In the voice Jane knew the rider to be Venters。 He tied Wrangle to the hitching…rack and turned to the court。
〃Oh； Bern！。。。You wild man！〃 she exclaimed。
〃JaneJane； it's good to see you！ Hello； Lassiter！ Yes； it's Venters。〃
Like rough iron his hard hand crushed Jane's。 In it she felt the difference she saw in him。 Wild； rugged； unshornyet how splendid！ He had gone away a boyhe had returned a man。 He appeared taller； wider of shoulder； deeper…chested； more powerfully built。 But was that only her fancyhe had always been a young giantwas the change one of spirit？ He might have been absent for years； proven by fire and steel； grown like Lassiter； strong and cool and sure。 His eyeswere they keener； more flashing than before？met hers with clear； frank； warm regard； in which perplexity was not； nor discontent； nor pain。
〃Look at me long as you like；〃 he said； with a laugh。 〃I'm not much to look at。 And； Jane； neither you nor Lassiter； can brag。 You're paler than I ever saw you。 Lassiter； here； he wears a bloody bandage under his hat。 That reminds me。 Some one took a flying shot at me down in the sage。 It made Wrangle run some。。。。Well； perhaps you've more to tell me than I've got to tell you。〃
Briefly； in few words； Jane outlined the circumstances of her undoing in the weeks of his absence。
Under his beard and bronze she saw his face whiten in terrible wrath。
〃Lassiterwhat held you back？〃
No time in the long period of fiery moments and sudden shocks had Jane Withersteen ever beheld Lassiter as calm and serene and cool as then。
〃Jane had gloom enough without my addin' to it by shootin' up the village；〃 he said。
As strange as Lassiter's coolness was Venters's curious； intent scrutiny of them both； and under it Jane felt a flaming tide wave from bosom to temples。
〃Wellyou're right；〃 he said； with slow pause。 〃It surprises me a little； that's all。〃
Jane sensed then a slight alteration in Venters； and what it was； in her own confusion； she could not tell。 It had always been her intention to acquaint him with the deceit she had fallen to in her zeal to move Lassiter。 She did not mean to spare herself。 Yet now； at the moment； before these riders； it was an impossibility to explain。
Venters was speaking somewhat haltingly； without his former frankness。 〃I found Oldring's hiding…place and your red herd。 I learnedI know I'm sure there was a deal between Tull and Oldring。〃 He paused and shifted his position and his gaze。 He looked as if he wanted to say something that he found beyond him。 Sorrow and pity and shame seemed to contend for mastery over him。 Then he raised himself and spoke with effort。 〃Jane I've cost you too much。 You've almost ruined yourself for me。 It was wrong； for I'm not worth it。 I never deserved such friendship。 Well； maybe it's not too late。 You must give me up。 Mind； I haven't changed。 I am just the same as ever。 I'll see Tull while I'm here； and tell him to his face。〃
〃Bern； it's too late；〃 said Jane。
〃I'll make him believe！〃 cried Venters； violently。
〃You ask me to break our friendship？〃
〃Yes。 If you don't； I shall。〃
〃Forever？〃
〃Forever！〃
Jane sighed。 Another shadow had lengthened down the sage slope to cast further darkness upon her。 A melancholy sweetness pervaded her resignation。 The boy who had left her had returned a man； nobler； stronger； one in whom she divined something unbending as steel。 There might come a moment later when she would wonder why she had not fought against his will； but just now she yielded to it。 She liked him as wellnay； more； she thought； only her emotions were deadened by the long； menacing wait for the bursting storm。
Once before she had held out her hand to himwhen she gave it； now she stretched it tremblingly forth in acceptance of the decree circumstance had laid upon them。 Venters bowed over it kissed it； pressed it hard； and half stifled a sound very like a sob。 Certain it was that when he raised his head tears glistened in his eyes。
〃Somewomenhave a hard lot；〃 he said； huskily。 Then he shook his powerful form； and his rags lashed about him。 〃I'll say a few things to Tullwhen I meet him。〃
〃Bernyou'll not draw on Tull？ Oh； that must not be！ Promise me〃
〃I promise you this；〃 he interrupted； in stern passion that thrilled while it terrorized her。 〃If you say one more word for that plotter I'll kill him as I would a mad coyote！〃
Jane clasped her hands。 Was this fire…eyed man the one whom she had once made as wax to her touch？ Had Venters become Lassiter and Lassiter Venters？
〃I'llsay no more；〃 she faltered。
〃Jane； Lassiter once called you blind；〃 said Venters。 〃It must be true。 But I won't upbraid you。 Only don't rouse the devil in me by praying for Tull！ I'll try to keep cool when I meet him。 That's all。 Now there's one more thing I want to ask of youthe last。 I've found a valley down in the Pass。 It's a wonderful place。 I intend to stay there。 It's so hidden I believe no one can find it。 There's good water； and browse； and game。 I want to raise corn and stock。 I need to take in supplies。 Will you give them to me？〃
〃Assuredly。 The more you take the better you'll please meand perhaps the less mymy enemies will get。〃
〃Venters； I reckon you'll have trouble packin' anythin' away；〃 put in Lassiter。
〃I'll go at night。〃
〃Mebbe that wouldn't be best。 You'd sure be stopped。 You'd better go early in the mornin'say； just after dawn。 That's the safest time to move round here。〃
〃Lassiter； I'll be hard to stop；〃 returned Venters； darkly。
〃I reckon so。〃
〃Bern；〃 said Jane； 〃go first to the riders' quarters and get yourself a complete outfit。 You're aa sight。 Then help yourself to whatever else you needburros； packs； grain； dried fruits； and meat。 You must take coffee and sugar and flourall kinds of supplies。 Don't forget corn and seeds。 I remember how you used to starve。 Pleaseplease take all you can pack away from here。 I'll make a bundle for you； which you mustn't open till you're in your valley。 How I'd like to see it！ To judge by you and Wrangle； how wild it must be！〃
Jane walked down into the outer court and approached the sorrel。 Upstarting； he laid back his ears and eyed her。
〃Wrangledear old Wrangle；〃 she said； and put a caressing hand on his matted mane。 〃Oh； he's wild； but he knows me！ Bern； can he run as fast as ever？〃
〃Run？ Jane； he's done sixty miles since last night at dark； and I could make him kill Black Star right now in a ten…mile race。〃
〃He never could；〃 protested Jane。 〃He couldn't even if he was fresh。〃
〃I reckon mebbe the best hoss'll prove himself yet；〃 said Lassiter； 〃an'； Jane； if it ever co