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children likeā€”like Fay Larkin! Come to think of thet, I disremember ever hearinā€™ of his liftinā€™ his big hands in blessinā€™ over a woman. Wal, when I seen him lastā€”jest a little while agoā€”he was on his knees, not prayinā€™, as I remarkedā€”anā€™ he was pressinā€™ his big hands over some bigger wounds.ā€

ā€œMan, you drive me mad! Did Lassiter kill Dyer?ā€

ā€œYes.ā€

ā€œDid he kill Tull?ā€

ā€œNo. Tullā€™s out of the village with most of his riders. Heā€™s expected back before eveninā€™. Lassiter will hev to git away before Tull enā€™ his riders come in. Itā€™s sure death fer him here. Anā€™ wuss fer you, too, Miss Withersteen. Thereā€™ll be some of an uprisinā€™ when Tull gits back.ā€

ā€œI shall ride away with Lassiter. Judkins, tell me all you sawā€”all you know about this killing.ā€ She realized, without wonder or amaze, how Judkinsā€™s one word, affirming the death of Dyerā€”that the catastrophe had fallenā€”had completed the change whereby she had been molded or beaten or broken into another woman. She felt calm, slightly cold, strong as she had not been strong since the first shadow fell upon her.

ā€œI jest saw about all of it, Miss Withersteen, anā€™ Iā€™ll be glad to tell you if youā€™ll only hev patience with me,ā€ said Judkins, earnestly. ā€œYou see, Iā€™ve been pecooliarly interested, anā€™ natā€™rully Iā€™m some excited. Anā€™ I talk a lot thet mebbe ainā€™t necessary, but I canā€™t help thet.

ā€œI was at the meetinā€™-house where Dyer was holdinā€™ court. You know he allus acts as magistrate anā€™ judge when Tullā€™s away. Anā€™ the trial was fer tryinā€™ whatā€™s left of my boy ridersā€”thet helped me hold your cattleā€”fer a lot of hatched-up things the boys never did. Weā€™re used to thet, anā€™ the boys wouldnā€™t hev minded beinā€™ locked up fer a while, or hevinā€™ to dig ditches, or whatever the judge laid down. You see, I divided the gold you give me among all my boys, anā€™ they all hid it, enā€™ they all feel rich. Howsomever, court was adjourned before the judge passed sentence. Yes, maā€™m, court was adjourned some strange anā€™ quick, much as if lightninā€™ hed struck the meetinā€™-house.

ā€œI hed trouble attendinā€™ the trial, but I got in. There was a good many people there, all my boys, anā€™ Judge Dyer with his several clerks. Also he hed with him the five riders whoā€™ve been guardinā€™ him pretty close of late. They was Carter, Wright, Jengessen, anā€™ two new riders from Stone Bridge. I didnā€™t hear their names, but I heard they was handy men with guns anā€™ they looked more like rustlers than riders. Anyway, there they was, the five all in a row.

ā€œJudge Dyer was tellinā€™ Willie Kern, one of my best anā€™ steadiest boysā€”Dyer was tellinā€™ him how there was a ditch opened near Willieā€™s home lettinā€™ water through his lot, where it hadnā€™t ought to go. Anā€™ Willie was tryinā€™ to git a word in to prove he wasnā€™t at home all the day it happenedā€”which was true, as I knowā€”but Willie couldnā€™t git a word in, anā€™ then Judge Dyer went on layinā€™ down the law. Anā€™ all to onct he happened to look down the long room. Anā€™ if ever any man turned to stone he was thet man.

ā€œNatā€™rully I looked back to see what hed acted so powerful strange on the judge. Anā€™ there, half-way up the room, in the middle of the wide aisle, stood Lassiter! All white anā€™ black he looked, anā€™ I canā€™t think of anythinā€™ he resembled, onless itā€™s death. Venters made thet same room some still anā€™ chilly when he called Tull; but this was different. I give my word, Miss Withersteen, thet I went cold to my very marrow. I donā€™t know why. But Lassiter had a way about him thetā€™s awful. He spoke a wordā€”a nameā€”I couldnā€™t understand it, though he spoke clear as a bell. I was too excited, mebbe. Judge Dyer must hev understood it, anā€™ a lot more thet was mystery to me, for he pitched forrard out of his chair right onto the platform.

ā€œThen them five riders, Dyerā€™s bodyguards, they jumped up, anā€™ two of them thet I found out afterward were the strangers from Stone Bridge, they piled right out of a winder, so quick you couldnā€™t catch your breath. It was plain they wasnā€™t Mormons.

ā€œJengessen, Carter, anā€™ Wright eyed Lassiter, for what must hev been a second anā€™ seemed like an hour, anā€™ they went white enā€™ strung. But they didnā€™t weaken nor lose their nerve.

ā€œI hed a good look at Lassiter. He stood sort of stiff, bendinā€™ a little, anā€™ both his arms were crooked anā€™ his hands looked like a hawkā€™s claws. But there ainā€™t no tellinā€™ how his eyes looked. I know this, though, anā€™ thet is his eyes could read the mind of any man about to throw a gun. Anā€™ in watchinā€™ him, of course, I couldnā€™t see the three men go fer their guns. Anā€™ though I was lookinā€™ right at Lassiterā€”lookinā€™ hardā€”I couldnā€™t see how he drawed. He was quickerā€™n eyesightā€”thetā€™s all. But I seen the red spurtinā€™ of his guns, enā€™ heard his shots jest the very littlest instant before I heard the shots of the riders. Anā€™ when I turned, Wright anā€™ Carter was down, enā€™ Jengessen, whoā€™s tough like a steer, was pullinā€™ the trigger of a wabblinā€™ gun. But it was plain he was shot through, plumb center. Anā€™ sudden he fell with a crash, anā€™ his gun clattered on the floor.

ā€œThen there was a hell of a silence. Nobody breathed. Sartin I didnā€™t, anyway. I saw Lassiter slip a smokinā€™ gun back in a belt. But he hadnā€™t throwed either of the big black guns, anā€™ I thought thet strange. Anā€™ all this was happeninā€™ quickā€”you canā€™t imagine how quick.

ā€œThere come a scrapinā€™ on the floor anā€™ Dyer got up, his face like lead. I wanted to watch Lassiter, but Dyerā€™s face, onct I seen it like thet, glued my eyes. I seen him go fer his gunā€”why, I could hev done better, quickerā€”anā€™ then there was a thunderinā€™ shot from Lassiter, anā€™ it hit Dyerā€™s right arm, anā€™ his gun went off as it dropped. He looked at Lassiter like a cornered sage-wolf, anā€™ sort of howled, anā€™ reached down fer his gun. Heā€™d jest picked it off the floor anā€™ was raisinā€™ it when another thunderinā€™ shot almost tore thet arm offā€”so it seemed to me. The gun dropped again anā€™ he went down on his knees, kind of flounderinā€™ after it. It was some strange anā€™ terrible to see his awful earnestness. Why would such a man cling so to life? Anyway, he got the gun with left hand anā€™ was raisinā€™ it, pullinā€™ trigger in his madness, when the third thunderinā€™ shot hit his left arm, anā€™ he dropped the gun again. But thet left arm wasnā€™t useless yet, fer he grabbed up the gun, anā€™ with a shakinā€™ aim thet would hev been pitiful to meā€”in any other manā€”he began to shoot. One wild bullet struck a man twenty feet from Lassiter. Anā€™ it killed thet man, as I seen afterward. Then come a bunch of thunderinā€™ shotsā€”nine I calkilated after, fer they come so quick I couldnā€™t count themā€”anā€™ I knew Lassiter hed turned the black guns loose on Dyer.

ā€œIā€™m tellinā€™ you straight, Miss Withersteen, fer I want you to know. Afterward youā€™ll git over it. Iā€™ve seen some soul-rackinā€™ scenes on this Utah border, but this was the awfulest. I remember I closed my eyes, anā€™ fer a minute I thought of the strangest things, out of place there, such as youā€™d never dream would come to mind. I saw the sage, anā€™ runninā€™ hossesā€”anā€™ thetā€™s the beautfulest sight to meā€”anā€™ I saw dim things in the dark, anā€™ there was a kind of humminā€™ in my ears. Anā€™ I remember distinctlyā€”fer it was what made all these things whirl out of my mind anā€™ opened my eyesā€”I remember distinctly it was the smell of gunpowder.

ā€œThe court had about adjourned fer thet judge. He was on his knees, enā€™ he wasnā€™t prayinā€™. He was gaspinā€™ anā€™ tryinā€™ to press his big, floppinā€™, crippled hands over his body. Lassiter had sent all those last thunderinā€™ shots through his body. Thet was Lassiterā€™s way.

ā€œAnā€™ Lassiter spoke, enā€™ if I ever forgit his words Iā€™ll never forgit the sound of his voice.

ā€œā€˜Proselyter, I reckon youā€™d better call quick on thet God who reveals Hisself to you on earth, because He wonā€™t be visitinā€™ the place youā€™re goinā€™ to!ā€™

ā€œAnā€™ then I seen Dyer look at his big, hanginā€™ hands thet wasnā€™t big enough fer the last work he set them to. Anā€™ he looked up at Lassiter. Anā€™ then he stared horrible at somethinā€™ thet wasnā€™t Lassiter, nor anyone there, nor the room, nor the branches of purple sage peepinā€™ into the winder. Whatever he seen, it was with the look of a man who discovers somethinā€™ too late. Thetā€™s a terrible look!... Anā€™ with a horrible understandinā€™ cry he slid forrard on his face.ā€

Judkins paused in his narrative, breathing heavily while he wiped his perspiring brow.

ā€œThetā€™s about all,ā€ he concluded. ā€œLassiter left the meetinā€™-house anā€™ I hurried to catch up with him. He was bleedinā€™ from three gunshots, none of them much to bother him. Anā€™ we come right up here. I found you layinā€™ in the hall, anā€™ I hed to work some over you.ā€

Jane Withersteen offered up no prayer for Dyerā€™s soul.

Lassiterā€™s step sounded in the hallā€”the familiar soft, silver-clinking stepā€”and she heard it with thrilling new emotions in which was a vague joy in her very fear of him. The door opened, and she saw him, the old Lassiter, slow, easy, gentle, cool, yet not exactly the same Lassiter. She rose, and for a moment her eyes blurred and swam in tears.

ā€œAre youā€”allā€”all right?ā€ she asked, tremulously.

ā€œI reckon.ā€

ā€œLassiter, Iā€™ll ride away with you. Hide me till danger is pastā€”till we are forgottenā€”then take me where you will. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God!ā€

He kissed her hand with the quaint grace and courtesy that came to him in rare moments.

ā€œBlack Star anā€™ Night are ready,ā€ he said, simply.

His quiet mention of the black racers spurred Jane to action. Hurrying to her room, she changed to her riderā€™s suit, packed her jewelry, and the gold that was left, and all the womanā€™s apparel for which there was space in the saddle-bags, and then returned to the hall. Black Star stamped his iron-shod hoofs and tossed his beautiful head, and eyed her with knowing eyes.

ā€œJudkins, I give Bells to you,ā€ said Jane. ā€œI hope you will always keep him and be good to him.ā€

Judkins mumbled thanks that he could not speak fluently, and his eyes flashed.

Lassiter strapped Janeā€™s saddle-bags upon Black Star, and led the racers out into the court.

ā€œJudkins, you ride with Jane out into the sage. If you see any riders cominā€™ shout quick twice. Anā€™, Jane, donā€™t look back! Iā€™ll catch up soon. Weā€™ll get to the break into the Pass before midnight, anā€™ then wait until morninā€™ to go down.ā€

Black Star bent his graceful neck and bowed his noble head, and his broad shoulders yielded as he knelt for Jane to mount.

She rode out of the court beside Judkins, through the grove, across the wide lane into the sage, and she realized that she was leaving Withersteen House forever, and she did not look back. A strange, dreamy, calm peace pervaded her soul. Her doom had fallen upon her, but, instead of finding life no longer worth living she found it doubly significant, full of sweetness as the western breeze, beautiful and unknown as the sage-slope stretching its purple sunset shadows before her. She became aware of Judkinsā€™s hand touching hers; she heard him speak a husky good-by; then into the place of Bells shot the dead-black, keen, racy nose of Night, and she knew Lassiter rode beside her.

ā€œDonā€™tā€”lookā€”back!ā€ he said, and his voice, too, was not clear.

ā€œDonā€™tā€”lookā€”back!ā€

Facing straight ahead, seeing only the waving, shadowy sage, Jane held out her gauntleted hand, to feel it enclosed in strong clasp. So she rode on without a backward glance at the beautiful grove of Cottonwoods. She did not seem to think of the past of what she left forever, but of the color and mystery and wildness of the sage-slope leading down to Deception Pass, and of the future. She watched the shadows lengthen down the slope; she felt the cool west wind sweeping by from the rear; and she wondered at low, yellow clouds sailing swiftly over her and beyond.

ā€œDonā€™t lookā€”back!ā€ said Lassiter.

Thick-driving belts of smoke traveled by on the wind, and with it came a strong, pungent odor of burning wood.

Lassiter had fired Withersteen House! But Jane did not look back.

A misty veil

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