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ught of the woman who loved the birds and the green of the leaves and the murmur of the water。
Next on the slope； just below the third and largest lake； were corrals and a wide stone barn and open sheds and coops and pens。 Here were clouds of dust； and cracking sounds of hoofs； and romping colts and heehawing burros。 Neighing horses trampled to the corral fences。 And on the little windows of the barn projected bobbing heads of bays and blacks and sorrels。 When the two men entered the immense barnyard； from all around the din increased。 This welcome； however； was not seconded by the several men and boys who vanished on sight。
Venters and Lassiter were turning toward the house when Jane appeared in the lane leading a horse。 In riding…skirt and blouse she seemed to have lost some of her statuesque proportions； and looked more like a girl rider than the mistress of Withersteen。 She was brightly smiling； and her greeting was warmly cordial。
〃Good news；〃 she announced。 〃I've been to the village。 All is quiet。 I expectedI don't know what。 But there's no excitement。 And Tull has ridden out on his way to Glaze。〃
〃Tull gone？〃 inquired Venters； with surprise。 He was wondering what could have taken Tull away。 Was it to avoid another meeting with Lassiter that he went？ Could it have any connection with the probable nearness of Oldring and his gang？
〃Gone； yes； thank goodness；〃 replied Jane。 〃Now I'll have peace for a while。 Lassiter； I want you to see my horses。 You are a rider； and you must be a judge of horseflesh。 Some of mine have Arabian blood。 My father got his best strain in Nevada from Indians who claimed their horses were bred down from the original stock left by the Spaniards。〃
〃Well； ma'am； the one you've been ridin' takes my eye；〃 said Lassiter； as he walked round the racy； clean…limbed； and fine…pointed roan。
〃Where are the boys？〃 she asked； looking about。 〃Jerd； Paul； where are you？ Here； bring out the horses。〃
Lee sound of dropping bars inside the barn was the signal for the horses to jerk their heads in the windows； to snort and stamp。 Then they came pounding out of the door； a file of thoroughbreds； to plunge about the barnyard； heads and tails up； manes flying。 They halted afar off； squared away to look； came slowly forward with whinnies for their mistress； and doubtful snorts for the strangers and their horses。
〃Comecomecome；〃 called Jane； holding out her hands。 〃Why； Bells Wrangle； where are your manners？ Come； Black Starcome； Night。 Ah； you beauties！ My racers of the sage！〃
Only two came up to her； those she called Night and Black Star。 Venters never looked at them without delight。 The first was soft dead black； the other glittering black； and they were perfectly matched in size； both being high and long…bodied； wide through the shoulders； with lithe； powerful legs。 That they were a woman's pets showed in the gloss of skin； the fineness of mane。 It showed； too； in the light of big eyes and the gentle reach of eagerness。
〃I never seen their like；〃 was Lassiter's encomium； 〃an' in my day I've seen a sight of horses。 Now； ma'am； if you was wantin' to make a long an' fast ride across the sagesay to elope〃
Lassiter ended there with dry humor； yet behind that was meaning。 Jane blushed and made arch eyes at him。
〃Take care； Lassiter； I might think that a proposal；〃 she replied； gaily。 〃It's dangerous to propose elopement to a Mormon woman。 Well； I was expecting you。 Now will be a good hour to show you Milly Erne's grave。 The day…riders have gone； and the night…riders haven't come in。 Bern； what do you make of that？ Need I worry？ You know I have to be made to worry。〃
〃Well； it's not usual for the night shift to ride in so late；〃 replied Venters； slowly； and his glance sought Lassiter's。 〃Cattle are usually quiet after dark。 Still； I've known even a coyote to stampede your white herd。〃
〃I refuse to borrow trouble。 Come；〃 said Jane。
They mounted； and； with Jane in the lead； rode down the lane； and； turning off into a cattle trail； proceeded westward。 Venters's dogs trotted behind them。 On this side of the ranch the outlook was different from that on the other； the immediate foreground was rough and the sage more rugged and less colorful； there were no dark…blue lines of canyons to hold the eye； nor any uprearing rock walls。 It was a long roll and slope into gray obscurity。 Soon Jane left the trail and rode into the sage； and presently she dismounted and threw her bridle。 The men did likewise。 Then； on foot； they followed her； coming out at length on the rim of a low escarpment。 She passed by several little ridges of earth to halt before a faintly defined mound。 It lay in the shade of a sweeping sage…brush close to the edge of the promontory； and a rider could have jumped his horse over it without recognizing a grave。
〃Here！〃
She looked sad as she spoke； but she offered no explanation for the neglect of an unmarked； uncared…for grave。 There was a little bunch of pale； sweet lavender daisies； doubtless planted there by Jane。
〃I only come here to remember and to pray；〃 she said。 〃But I leave no trail！〃
A grave in the sage！ How lonely this resting…place of Milly Erne！ The cottonwoods or the alfalfa fields were not in sight； nor was there any rock or ridge or cedar to lend contrast to the monotony。 Gray slopes； tinging the purple； barren and wild； with the wind waving the sage； swept away to the dim horizon。
Lassiter looked at the grave and then out into space。 At that moment he seemed a figure of bronze。
Jane touched Venters's arm and led him back to the horses。
〃Bern！〃 cried Jane； when they were out of hearing。 〃Suppose Lassiter were Milly's husbandthe father of that little girl lost so long ago！〃
〃It might be； Jane。 Let us ride on。 If he wants to see us again he'll come。〃
So they mounted and rode out to the cattle trail and began to climb。 From the height of the ridge； where they had started down； Venters looked back。 He did not see Lassiter； but his glance； drawn irresistibly farther out on the gradual slope； caught sight of a moving cloud of dust。
〃Hello； a rider！〃
〃Yes； I see；〃 said Jane。
〃That fellow's riding hard。 Jane； there's something wrong。〃
〃Oh yes； there must be。。。。How he rides！〃
The horse disappeared in the sage； and then puffs of dust marked his course。
〃He's short…cut on ushe's making straight for the corrals。〃
Venters and Jane galloped their steeds and reined in at the turning of the lane。 This lane led down to the right of the grove。 Suddenly into its lower entrance flashed a bay horse。 Then Venters caught the fast rhythmic beat of pounding hoofs。 Soon his keen eye recognized the swing of the rider in his saddle。
〃It's Judkins； your Gentile rider！〃 he cried。 〃Jane； when Judkins rides like that it means hell！〃
CHAPTER IV。 DECEPTION PASS
The rider thundered up and almost threw his foam…flecked horse in the sudden stop。 He was a giant form； and with fearless eyes。
〃Judkins； you're all bloody！〃 cried Jane； in affright。 〃Oh； you've been shot！〃
〃Nothin' much Miss Withersteen。 I got a nick in the shoulder。 I'm some wet an' the hoss's been throwin' lather； so all this ain't blood。〃
〃What's up？〃 queried Venters； sharply。
〃Rustlers sloped off with the red herd。〃
〃Where are my riders？〃 demanded Jane。
〃Miss Withersteen； I was alone all night with the herd。 At daylight this mornin' the rustlers rode down。 They began to shoot at me on sight。 They chased me hard an' far； burnin' powder all the time； but I got away。〃
〃Jud； they meant to kill you；〃 declared Venters。
〃Now I wonder；〃 returned Judkins。 〃They wanted me bad。 An' it ain't regular for rustlers to waste time chasin' one rider。〃
〃Thank heaven you got away；〃 said Jane。 〃But my riderswhere are they？〃
〃I don't know。 The night…riders weren't there last night when I rode down； en' this mornin' I met no day…riders。〃
〃Judkins！ Bern； they've been set uponkilled by Oldring's men！〃
〃I don't think so；〃 replied Venters； decidedly。 〃Jane； your riders haven't gone out in the sage。〃
〃Bern； what do you mean？〃 Jane Withersteen turned deathly pale。
〃You remember what I said about the unseen hand？〃
〃Oh！。。。Impossible！〃
〃I hope so。 But I fear〃 Venters finished； with a shake of his head。
〃Bern； you're bitter； but that's only natural。 We'll wait to see what's happened to my riders。 Judkins； come to the house with me。 Your wound must be attended to。〃
〃Jane； I'll find out where Oldring drives the herd；〃 vowed Venters。
〃No； no！ Bern； don't risk it nowwhen the rustlers are in such shooting mood。〃
〃I'm going。 Jud； how many cattle in that red herd？〃
〃Twenty…five hundred head。〃
〃Whew！ What on earth can Oldring do with so many cattle？ Why； a hundred head is a big steal。 I've got to find out。〃
〃Don't go；〃 implored Jane。
〃Bern； you want a hoss thet can run。 Miss Withersteen； if it's not too bold of me to advise； make him take a fast hoss or don't let him go。〃
〃Yes； yes； Judkins。 He must ride a horse that can't be caught。 Which oneBlack StarNight？〃
〃Jane； I won't take either；〃 said Venters； emphatically。 〃I wouldn't risk losing one of your favorites。〃
〃Wrangle； then？〃
〃Thet's the hoss；〃 replied Judkins。 〃Wrangle can outrun Black