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iterfanatically faithful to a false religion I may have been but I know justice； and my father is beyond human justice。 Surely he is meeting just punishmentsomewhere。 Always it has appalled methe thought of your killing Dyer for my father's sins。 So I have prayed！〃
〃Jane； the past is dead。 In my love for you I forgot the past。 This thing I'm about to do ain't for myself or Milly or Fay。 It s not because of anythin' that ever happened in the past； but for what is happenin' right now。 It's for you！。。。An' listen。 Since I was a boy I've never thanked God for anythin'。 If there is a Godan' I've come to believe itI thank Him now for the years that made me Lassiter！。。。I can reach down en' feel these big guns； en' know what I can do with them。 An'； Jane； only one of the miracles Dyer professes to believe in can save him！〃
Again for Jane Withersteen came the spinning of her brain in darkness； and as she whirled in endless chaos she seemed to be falling at the feet of a luminous figurea manLassiterwho had saved her from herself； who could not be changed； who would slay rightfully。 Then she slipped into utter blackness。
When she recovered from her faint she became aware that she was lying on a couch near the window in her sitting…room。 Her brow felt damp and cold and wet； some one was chafing her hands； she recognized Judkins； and then saw that his lean； hard face wore the hue and look of excessive agitation。
〃Judkins！〃 Her voice broke weakly。
〃Aw； Miss Withersteen； you're comin' round fine。 Now jest lay still a little。 You're all right； everythin's all right。〃
〃Where ishe？〃
〃Who？〃
〃Lassiter！〃
〃You needn't worry none about him。〃
〃Where is he？ Tell meinstantly。〃
〃War； he's in the other room patchin' up a few triflin' bullet holes。〃
〃Ah！。。。Bishop' Dyer？〃
〃When I seen him lasta matter of half an hour ago； he was on his knees。 He was some busy； but he wasn't prayin'！〃
〃How strangely you talk！ I'll sit up。 I'mwell； strong again。 Tell me。 Dyer on his knees！ What was he doing？〃
〃War； beggin' your pardon fer blunt talk； Miss Withersteen； Dyer was on his knees an' not prayin'。 You remember his big； broad hands？ You've seen 'em raised in blessin' over old gray men an' little curly…headed children likelike Fay Larkin！ Come to think of thet； I disremember ever hearin' of his liftin' his big hands in blessin' over a woman。 Wal； when I seen him lastjest a little while agohe was on his knees； not prayin'； as I remarkedan' he was pressin' his big hands over some bigger wounds。〃
〃Man； you drive me mad！ Did Lassiter kill Dyer？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did he kill Tull？〃
〃No。 Tull's out of the village with most of his riders。 He's expected back before evenin'。 Lassiter will hev to git away before Tull en' his riders come in。 It's sure death fer him here。 An' wuss fer you； too； Miss Withersteen。 There'll be some of an uprisin' when Tull gits back。〃
〃I shall ride away with Lassiter。 Judkins； tell me all you sawall you know about this killing。〃 She realized； without wonder or amaze； how Judkins's one word； affirming the death of Dyerthat the catastrophe had fallenhad 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。
〃I jest saw about all of it； Miss Withersteen； an' I'll be glad to tell you if you'll only hev patience with me；〃 said Judkins； earnestly。 〃You see； I've been pecooliarly interested； an' nat'rully I'm some excited。 An' I talk a lot thet mebbe ain't necessary； but I can't help thet。
〃I was at the meetin'…house where Dyer was holdin' court。 You know he allus acts as magistrate an' judge when Tull's away。 An' the trial was fer tryin' what's left of my boy ridersthet helped me hold your cattlefer a lot of hatched…up things the boys never did。 We're used to thet； an' the boys wouldn't hev minded bein' locked up fer a while； or hevin' to dig ditches； or whatever the judge laid down。 You see； I divided the gold you give me among all my boys； an' they all hid it； en' they all feel rich。 Howsomever； court was adjourned before the judge passed sentence。 Yes； ma'm； court was adjourned some strange an' quick； much as if lightnin' hed struck the meetin'…house。
〃I hed trouble attendin' the trial； but I got in。 There was a good many people there； all my boys； an' Judge Dyer with his several clerks。 Also he hed with him the five riders who've been guardin' him pretty close of late。 They was Carter； Wright； Jengessen； an' two new riders from Stone Bridge。 I didn't hear their names； but I heard they was handy men with guns an' they looked more like rustlers than riders。 Anyway； there they was； the five all in a row。
〃Judge Dyer was tellin' Willie Kern； one of my best an' steadiest boys Dyer was tellin' him how there was a ditch opened near Willie's home lettin' water through his lot； where it hadn't ought to go。 An' Willie was tryin' to git a word in to prove he wasn't at home all the day it happenedwhich was true； as I knowbut Willie couldn't git a word in； an' then Judge Dyer went on layin' down the law。 An' all to onct he happened to look down the long room。 An' if ever any man turned to stone he was thet man。
〃Nat'rully I looked back to see what hed acted so powerful strange on the judge。 An' there； half…way up the room； in the middle of the wide aisle； stood Lassiter！ All white an' black he looked； an' I can't think of anythin' he resembled； onless it's death。 Venters made thet same room some still an' chilly when he called Tull； but this was different。 I give my word； Miss Withersteen； thet I went cold to my very marrow。 I don't know why。 But Lassiter had a way about him thet's awful。 He spoke a worda nameI couldn't understand it； though he spoke clear as a bell。 I was too excited； mebbe。 Judge Dyer must hev understood it； an' a lot more thet was mystery to me； for he pitched forrard out of his chair right onto the platform。
〃Then them five riders； Dyer's bodyguards； they jumped up； an' two of them thet I found out afterward were the strangers from Stone Bridge； they piled right out of a winder； so quick you couldn't catch your breath。 It was plain they wasn't Mormons。
〃Jengessen； Carter； an' Wright eyed Lassiter； for what must hev been a second an' seemed like an hour； an' they went white en' strung。 But they didn't weaken nor lose their nerve。
〃I hed a good look at Lassiter。 He stood sort of stiff； bendin' a little； an' both his arms were crooked an' his hands looked like a hawk's claws。 But there ain't no tellin' how his eyes looked。 I know this； though； an' thet is his eyes could read the mind of any man about to throw a gun。 An' in watchin' him； of course； I couldn't see the three men go fer their guns。 An' though I was lookin' right at Lassiterlookin' hardI couldn't see how he drawed。 He was quicker 'n eyesightthet's all。 But I seen the red spurtin' of his guns； en' heard his shots jest the very littlest instant before I heard the shots of the riders。 An' when I turned； Wright an' Carter was down； en' Jengessen； who's tough like a steer； was pullin' the trigger of a wabblin' gun。 But it was plain he was shot through； plumb center。 An' sudden he fell with a crash； an' his gun clattered on the floor。
〃Then there was a hell of a silence。 Nobody breathed。 Sartin I didn't； anyway。 I saw Lassiter slip a smokin' gun back in a belt。 But he hadn't throwed either of the big black guns； an' I thought thet strange。 An' all this was happenin' quickyou can't imagine how quick。
〃There come a scrapin' on the floor an' Dyer got up； his face like lead。 I wanted to watch Lassiter； but Dyer's face； onct I seen it like thet； glued my eyes。 I seen him go fer his gunwhy； I could hev done better； quickeran' then there was a thunderin' shot from Lassiter； an' it hit Dyer's right arm； an' his gun went off as it dropped。 He looked at Lassiter like a cornered sage…wolf； an' sort of howled； an' reached down fer his gun。 He'd jest picked it off the floor an' was raisin' it when another thunderin' shot almost tore thet arm offso it seemed to me。 The gun dropped again an' he went down on his knees； kind of flounderin' after it。 It was some strange an' terrible to see his awful earnestness。 Why would such a man cling so to life？ Anyway； he got the gun with left hand an' was raisin' it； pullin' trigger in his madness； when the third thunderin' shot hit his left arm； an' he dropped the gun again。 But thet left arm wasn't useless yet； fer he grabbed up the gun； an' with a shakin' aim thet would hev been pitiful to mein any other manhe began to shoot。 One wild bullet struck a man twenty feet from Lassiter。 An' it killed thet man； as I seen afterward。 Then come a bunch of thunderin' shotsnine I calkilated after； fer they come so quick I couldn't count theman' I knew Lassiter hed turned the black guns loose on Dyer。
〃I'm tellin' you straight； Miss Withersteen； fer I want you to know。 Afterward you'll git over it。 I've seen some soul…rackin' scenes on this Utah border； but this was the awfulest。 I remember I closed my eyes； an' fer a minute I thought of the strangest things； out of place there； such as you'd never dream would come to mind。 I saw the sage； an' runnin' hossesan' thet's the be