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〃Fay！〃 called Jane。
No answering shout of glee。 No patter of flying feet。 Jane saw Lassiter stiffen。
〃FayohFay！〃 Jane almost screamed。
The leaves quivered and rustled； a lonesome cricket chirped in the grass； a bee hummed by。 The silence of the waning afternoon breathed hateful portent。 It terrified Jane。 When had silence been so infernal？
〃She'sonlystrayedoutof earshot；〃 faltered Jane； looking at Lassiter。
Pale； rigid as a statue； the rider stood； not in listening； searching posture； but in one of doomed certainty。 Suddenly he grasped Jane with an iron hand； and； turning his face from her gaze； he strode with her from the knoll。
〃SeeFay played here lasta house of stones an' sticks。。。。An' here's a corral of pebbles with leaves for hosses；〃 said Lassiter； stridently； and pointed to the ground。 〃Back an' forth she trailed here。。。。See； she's buried somethin'a dead grasshopperthere's a tombstone。。。 here she went； chasin' a lizardsee the tiny streaked trail。。。she pulled bark off this cottonwood。。。look in the dust of the paththe letters you taught hershe's drawn pictures of birds en' hosses an' people。。。。Look； a cross！ Oh； Jane； your cross！〃
Lassiter dragged Jane on； and as if from a book read the meaning of little Fay's trail。 All the way down the knoll； through the shrubbery； round and round a cottonwood； Fay's vagrant fancy left records of her sweet musings and innocent play。 Long had she lingered round a bird…nest to leave therein the gaudy wing of a butterfly。 Long had she played beside the running stream sending adrift vessels freighted with pebbly cargo。 Then she had wandered through the deep grass； her tiny feet scarcely turning a fragile blade； and she had dreamed beside some old faded flowers。 Thus her steps led her into the broad lane。 The little dimpled imprints of her bare feet showed clean…cut in the dust they went a little way down the lane； and then； at a point where they stopped； the great tracks of a man led out from the shrubbery and returned。
CHAPTER XX。 LASSITER'S WAY
Footprints told the story of little Fay's abduction。 In anguish Jane Withersteen turned speechlessly to Lassiter； and； confirming her fears； she saw him gray…faced； aged all in a moment； stricken as if by a mortal blow。
Then all her life seemed to fall about her in wreck and ruin。
〃It's all over；〃 she heard her voice whisper。 〃It's ended。 I'm goingI'm going〃
〃Where？〃 demanded Lassiter； suddenly looming darkly over her。
〃Toto those cruel men〃
〃Speak names！〃 thundered Lassiter。
〃To Bishop Dyerto Tull；〃 went on Jane； shocked into obedience。
〃Wellwhat for？〃
〃I want little Fay。 I can't live without her。 They've stolen her as they stole Milly Erne's child。 I must have little Fay。 I want only her。 I give up。 I'll go and tell Bishop DyerI'm broken。 I'll tell him I'm ready for the yokeonly give me back Fayandand I'll marry Tull！〃
〃Never！〃 hissed Lassiter。
His long arm leaped at her。 Almost running； he dragged her under the cottonwoods； across the court； into the huge hall of Withersteen House； and he shut the door with a force that jarred the heavy walls。 Black Star and Night and Bells； since their return； had been locked in this hall； and now they stamped on the stone floor。
Lassiter released Jane and like a dizzy man swayed from her with a hoarse cry and leaned shaking against a table where he kept his rider's accoutrements。 He began to fumble in his saddlebags。 His action brought a clinking； metallic soundthe rattling of gun…cartridges。 His fingers trembled as he slipped cartridges into an extra belt。 But as he buckled it over the one he habitually wore his hands became steady。 This second belt contained two guns； smaller than the black ones swinging low； and he slipped them round so that his coat hid them。 Then he fell to swift action。 Jane Withersteen watched him； fascinated but uncomprehending and she saw him rapidly saddle Black Star and Night。 Then he drew her into the light of the huge windows； standing over her； gripping her arm with fingers like cold steel。
〃Yes； Jane； it's endedbut you're not goin' to Dyer！。。。I'm goin' instead！〃
Looking at himhe was so terrible of aspectshe could not comprehend his words。 Who was this man with the face gray as death； with eyes that would have made her shriek had she the strength； with the strange； ruthlessly bitter lips？ Where was the gentle Lassiter？ What was this presence in the hall； about him； about herthis cold； invisible presence？
〃Yes； it's ended； Jane；〃 he was saying； so awfully quiet and cool and implacable； 〃an' I'm goin' to make a little call。 I'll lock you in here； an' when I get back have the saddle…bags full of meat an bread。 An' be ready to ride！〃
〃Lassiter！〃 cried Jane。
Desperately she tried to meet his gray eyes； in vain； desperately she tried again； fought herself as feeling and thought resurged in torment； and she succeeded； and then she knew。
〃Nonono！〃 she wailed。 〃You said you'd foregone your vengeance。 You promised not to kill Bishop Dyer。〃
〃If you want to talk to me about himleave off the Bishop。 I don't understand that name； or its use。〃
〃Oh； hadn't you foregone your vengeance onon Dyer？ Butyour actionsyour wordsyour gunsyour terrible looks！。。。 They don't seem foregoing vengeance？〃
〃Jane； now it's justice。〃
〃You'llkill him？〃
〃If God lets me live another hour！ If not Godthen the devil who drives me！〃
〃You'll kill himfor yourselffor your vengeful hate？〃
〃No！〃
〃For Milly Erne's sake？〃
〃No。〃
〃For little Fay's？〃
〃No！〃
〃Ohfor whose？〃
〃For yours！〃
〃His blood on my soul！〃 whispered Jane； and she fell to her knees。 This was the long…pending hour of fruition。 And the habit of yearsthe religious passion of her lifeleaped from lethargy； and the long months of gradual drifting to doubt were as if they had never been。 〃If you spill his blood it'll be on my souland on my father's。 Listen。〃 And she clasped his knees； and clung there as he tried to raise her。 〃Listen。 Am I nothing to you？'
〃Womandon't trifle at words！ I love you！ An' I'll soon prove it。〃
〃I'll give myself to youI'll ride away with youmarry you； if only you'll spare him？〃
His answer was a cold； ringing； terrible laugh。
〃LassiterI'll love you。 Spare him！〃
She sprang up in despairing； breaking spirit； and encircled his neck with her arms； and held him in an embrace that he strove vainly to loosen。 〃Lassiter； would you kill me？ I'm fighting my last fight for the principles of my youthlove of religion； love of father。 You don't knowyou can't guess the truth； and I can't speak ill。 I'm losing all。 I'm changing。 All I've gone through is nothing to this hour。 Pity me help me in my weakness。 You're strong againoh； so cruelly； coldly strong！ You're killing me。 I see youfeel you as some other Lassiter！ My master； be mercifulspare him！〃
His answer was a ruthless smile。
She clung the closer to him； and leaned her panting breast on him； and lifted her face to his。 〃Lassiter； I do love you！ It's leaped out of my agony。 It comes suddenly with a terrible blow of truth。 You are a man！ I never knew it till now。 Some wonderful change came to me when you buckled on these guns and showed that gray； awful face。 I loved you then。 All my life I've loved； but never as now。 No woman can love like a broken woman。 If it were not for one thingjust one thingand yet！ I can't speak itI'd glory in your manhoodthe lion in you that means to slay for me。 Believe meand spare Dyer。 Be mercifulgreat as it's in you to be great。。。。Oh； listen and believeI have nothing； but I'm a womana beautiful woman； Lassitera passionate； loving womanand I love you！ Take mehide me in some wild placeand love me and mend my broken heart。 Spare him and take me away。〃
She lifted her face closer and closer to his； until their lips nearly touched； and she hung upon his neck； and with strength almost spent pressed and still pressed her palpitating body to his。
〃Kiss me！〃 she whispered； blindly。
〃Nonot at your price！〃 he answered。 His voice had changed or she had lost clearness of hearing。
〃Kiss me！。。。Are you a man？ Kiss me and save me！〃
〃Jane； you never played fair with me。 But now you're blisterin' your lipsblackenin' your soul with lies！〃
〃By the memory of my motherby my Bibleno！ No； I have no Bible！ But by my hope of heaven I swear I love you！〃
Lassiter's gray lips formed soundless words that meant even her love could not avail to bend his will。 As if the hold of her arms was that of a child's he loosened it and stepped away。
〃Wait！ Don't go！ Oh； hear a last word！。。。May a more just and merciful God than the God I was taught to worship judge meforgive mesave me！ For I can no longer keep silent！。。。Lassiter； in pleading for Dyer I've been pleading more for my father。 My father was a Mormon master； close to the leaders of the church。 It was my father who sent Dyer out to proselyte。 It was my father who had the blue…ice eye and the beard of gold。 It was my father you got trace of in the past years。 Truly； Dyer ruined Milly Ernedragged her from her hometo Utahto Cottonwoods。 But it was for my father！ If Milly Erne was ever wife of a Mormon that Mormon was my father！ I never knewnever will know whether or not she was a wife。 Blind I may be； Lassiterf