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Both voices had in their accents and delivery something of the
sadness and infinite protraction of the plain。 But the woman's had
a musical possibility in its long…drawn cadence； while the man's
was only monotonous and wearying。 And as she turned back into the
room again； and confronted her companion； there was the like
difference in their appearance。 Ira Beasley； her husband； had
suffered from the combined effects of indolence； carelessness；
misadventure； and disease。 Two of his fingers had been cut off by
a scythe； his thumb and part of his left ear had been blown away by
an overcharged gun； his knees were crippled by rheumatism； and one
foot was lame from ingrowing nails；deviations that； however； did
not tend to correct the original angularities of his frame。 His
wife； on the other hand； had a pretty figure； which still retained
they were childlessthe rounded freshness of maidenhood。 Her
features were irregular； yet not without a certain piquancy of
outline； her hair had the two shades sometimes seen in imperfect
blondes； and her complexion the sallowness of combined exposure and
alkaline assimilation。
She had lived there since； an angular girl of fifteen； she had been
awkwardly helped by Ira from the tail…board of the emigrant wagon
in which her mother had died two weeks before； and which was making
its first halt on the Californian plains； before Ira's door。 On
the second day of their halt Ira had tried to kiss her while she
was drawing water； and had received the contents of the bucket
instead；the girl knowing her own value。 On the third day Ira had
some conversation with her father regarding locations and stock。
On the fourth day this conversation was continued in the presence
of the girl； on the fifth day the three walked to Parson Davies'
house； four miles away； where Ira and Sue were married。 The
romance of a week had taken place within the confines of her
present view from the doorway； the episode of her life might have
been shut in in that last sweep of her sandy lashes。
Nevertheless； at that moment some instinct； she knew not what；
impelled her when her husband left the room to put down the dish
she was washing； and； with the towel lapped over her bare pretty
arms； to lean once more against the doorpost； lazily looking down
the plain。 A cylindrical cloud of dust trailing its tattered skirt
along the stage road suddenly assaulted the house； and for an
instant enveloped it。 As it whirled away again something emerged；
or rather dropped from its skirts behind the little cluster of low
bushes which encircled the 〃One Spring。〃 It was a man。
〃Thar！ I knew it was suthin'；〃 she began aloud； but the words
somehow died upon her lips。 Then she turned and walked towards the
inner door； wherein her husband had disappeared；but here stopped
again irresolutely。 Then she suddenly walked through the outer
door into the road and made directly for the spring。 The figure of
a man crouching； covered with dust； half rose from the bushes when
she reached them。 She was not frightened； for he seemed utterly
exhausted； and there was a singular mixture of shame； hesitation；
and entreaty in his broken voice as he gasped out：
〃Look here！I say！ hide me somewhere； won't you？ Just for a
little。 You seethe fact isI'm chased！ They're hunting me
now；they're just behind me。 Anywhere will do till they go by！
Tell you all about it another time。 Quick！ Please do！〃
In all this there was nothing dramatic nor even startling to her。
Nor did there seem to be any present danger impending to the man。
He did not look like a horse…thief nor a criminal。 And he had
tried to laugh； half…apologetically； half…bitterly；the
consciousness of a man who had to ask help of a woman at such a
moment。
She gave a quick glance towards the house。 He followed her eyes；
and said hurriedly： 〃Don't tell on me。 Don't let any one see me。
I'm trusting you。
〃Come；〃 she said suddenly。 〃Get on THIS side。〃
He understood her； and slipped to her side； half…creeping； half…
crouching like a dog behind her skirts； but keeping her figure
between him and the house as she moved deliberately towards the
barn； scarce fifty yards away。 When she reached it she opened the
half…door quickly； said： 〃In thereat the topamong the hay〃
closed it； and was turning away； when there came a faint rapping
from within。 She opened the door again impatiently； the man said
hastily： 〃Wanted to tell youit was a man who insulted a WOMAN！ I
went for him； you seeand〃
But she shut the door sharply。 The fugitive had made a blunder。
The importation of her own uncertain sex into the explanation did
not help him。 She kept on towards the house； however； without the
least trace of excitement or agitation in her manner； entered the
front door again； walked quietly to the door of the inner room；
glanced in； saw that her husband was absorbed in splicing a riata；
and had evidently not missed her； and returned quietly to her dish…
washing。 With this singular difference： a few moments before she
had seemed inattentive and careless of what she was doing； as if
from some abstraction； now； when she was actually abstracted； her
movements were mechanically perfect and deliberate。 She carefully
held up a dish and examined it minutely for cracks； rubbing it
cautiously with the towel； but seeing all the while only the man
she had left in the barn。 A few moments elapsed。 Then there came
another rush of wind around the house； a drifting cloud of dust
before the door； the clatter of hoofs； and a quick shout。
Her husband reached the door； from the inner room； almost as
quickly as she did。 They both saw in the road two armed mounted
menone of whom Ira recognized as the sheriff's deputy。
〃Has anybody been here； just now？〃 he asked sharply。
〃No。〃
〃Seen anybody go by？〃 he continued。
〃No。 What's up？〃
〃One of them circus jumpers stabbed Hal Dudley over the table in
Dolores monte shop last night； and got away this morning。 We
hunted him into the plain and lost him somewhere in this dd
dust。〃
〃Why； Sue reckoned she saw suthin' just now；〃 said Ira； with a
flash of recollection。 〃Didn't ye； Sue？〃
〃Why the h…ll didn't she say it before？I beg your pardon； ma'am；
didn't see you； you'll excuse haste。〃
Both the men's hats were in their hands； embarrassed yet gratified
smiles on their faces； as Sue came forward。 There was the faintest
of color in her sallow cheek； a keen brilliancy in her eyes； she
looked singularly pretty。 Even Ira felt a slight antenuptial
stirring through his monotonously wedded years。
The young woman walked out； folding the towel around her red hands
and forearmsleaving the rounded whiteness of bared elbow and
upper arm in charming contrastand looked gravely past the
admiring figures that nearly touched her own。 〃It was somewhar
over thar；〃 she said lazily； pointing up the road in the opposit