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Jean leisurely untied the many knots round the bundle and unrolled it。
He had packed that bundle for just such travel as it had sustained。
Three cloth…bound rifles he laid aside； and with them a long； very
heavy package tied between two thin wide boards。 From this came the；
metallic clink。 〃Oo； I know what dem is！〃 cried Lee； breaking the
silence of suspense。 Then Jean； tearing open a long flat parcel；
spread before the mute； rapt…eyed youngsters such magnificent things；
as they had never dreamed ofpicture books； mouth…harps； dolls；
a toy gun and a toy pistol； a wonderful whistle and a fox horn；
and last of all a box of candy。 Before these treasures on the floor；
too magical to be touched at first； the two little boys and their
sister simply knelt。 That was a sweet； full moment for Jean； yet
even that was clouded by the something which shadowed these innocent
children fatefully born in a wild place at a wild time。 Next Jean
gave to his sister the presents he had brought herbeautiful cloth
for a dress； ribbons and a bit of lace； handkerchiefs and buttons and
yards of linen； a sewing case and a whole box of spools of thread；
a comb and brush and mirror； and lastly a Spanish brooch inlaid with
garnets。 〃There； Ann；〃 said Jean； 〃I confess I asked a girl friend
in Oregon to tell me some things my sister might like。〃 Manifestly
there was not much difference in girls。 Ann seemed stunned by this
munificence； and then awakening； she hugged Jean in a way that took
his breath。 She was not a child any more； that was certain。 Aunt Mary
turned knowing eyes upon Jean。 〃Reckon you couldn't have pleased Ann
more。 She's engaged； Jean； an' where girls are in that state these
things mean a heap。 。 。 。 Ann； you'll be married in that！〃 And she
pointed to the beautiful folds of material that Ann had spread out。
〃What's this？〃 demanded Jean。 His sister's blushes were enough to
convict her； and they were mightily becoming； too。
〃Here； Aunt Mary；〃 went on Jean； 〃here's yours； an' here's somethin'
for each of my new sisters。〃 This distribution left the women as happy
and occupied； almost； as the children。 It left also another package；
the last one in the bundle。 Jean laid hold of it and； lifting it；
he was about to speak when he sustained a little shock of memory。
Quite distinctly he saw two little feet； with bare toes peeping out
of worn…out moccasins； and then round； bare； symmetrical ankles that
had been scratched by brush。 Next he saw Ellen Jorth's passionate
face as she looked when she had made the violent action so disconcerting
to him。 In this happy moment the memory seemed farther off than a
few hours。 It had crystallized。 It annoyed while it drew him。 As a
result he slowly laid this package aside and did not speak as he had
intended to。
〃Dad； I reckon I didn't fetch a lot for you an' the boys；〃 continued
Jean。 〃Some knives； some pipes an' tobacco。 An' sure the guns。〃
〃Shore； you're a regular Santa Claus； Jean；〃 replied his father。
〃Wal； wal； look at the kids。 An' look at Mary。 An' for the land's
sake look at Ann！ Wal； wal； I'm gettin' old。 I'd forgotten the
pretty stuff an' gimcracks that mean so much to women。 We're out
of the world heah。 It's just as well you've lived apart from us；
Jean； for comin' back this way； with all that stuff； does us a lot
of good。 I cain't say； son； how obliged I am。 My mind has been set
on the hard side of life。 An' it's shore good to forgetto see the
smiles of the women an' the joy of the kids。〃
At this juncture a tall young man entered the open door。 He looked
a rider。 All about him； even his face； except his eyes； seemed old；
but his eyes were young； fine； soft； and dark。
〃How do； y'u…all！〃 he said； evenly。
Ann rose from her knees。 Then Jean did not need to be told who this
newcomer was。
〃Jean； this is my friend； Andrew Colmor。〃
Jean knew when he met Colmor's grip and the keen flash of his eyes
that he was glad Ann had set her heart upon one of their kind。 And
his second impression was something akin to the one given him in the
road by the admiring lad。 Colmor's estimate of him must have been a
monument built of Ann's eulogies。 Jean's heart suffered misgivings。
Could he live up to the character that somehow had forestalled his
advent in Grass Valley？ Surely life was measured differently here
in the Tonto Basin。
The children； bundling their treasures to their bosoms； were dragged
off to bed in some remote part of the house； from which their laughter
and voices came back with happy significance。 Jean forthwith had an
interested audience。 How eagerly these lonely pioneer people listened
to news of the outside world！ Jean talked until he was hoarse。
In their turn his hearers told him much that had never found place
in the few and short letters he had received since he had been left
in Oregon。 Not a word about sheepmen or any hint of rustlers！
Jean marked the omission and thought all the more seriously of
probabilities because nothing was said。 Altogether the evening was
a happy reunion of a family of which all living members were there
present。 Jean grasped that this fact was one of significant
satisfaction to his father。
〃Shore we're all goin' to live together heah；〃 he declared。 〃I started
this range。 I call most of this valley mine。 We'll run up a cabin for
Ann soon as she says the word。 An' you； Jean； where's your girl？
I shore told you to fetch her。〃
〃Dad； I didn't have one；〃 replied Jean。
〃Wal； I wish you had；〃 returned the rancher。 〃You'll go courtin' one
of these Tonto hussies that I might object to。〃
〃Why； father； there's not a girl in the valley Jean would look twice at；〃
interposed Ann Isbel； with spirit。
Jean laughed the matter aside； but he had an uneasy memory。 Aunt Mary
averred； after the manner of relatives； that Jean would play havoc
among the women of the settlement。 And Jean retorted that at least
one member of the Isbels； should hold out against folly and fight and
love and marriage； the agents which had reduced the family to these
few present。 〃I'll be the last Isbel to go under； 〃 he concluded。
〃Son； you're talkin' wisdom；〃 said his father。 〃An' shore that reminds
me of the uncle you're named after。 Jean Isbel！ 。 。 。 Wal； he was my
youngest brother an' shore a fire…eater。 Our mother was a French creole
from Louisiana； an' Jean must have inherited some of his fightin' nature
from her。 When the war of the rebellion started Jean an' I enlisted。
I was crippled before we ever got to the front。 But Jean went through
three Years before he was killed。 His company had orders to fight to
the last man。 An' Jean fought an' lived long enough just to be that
last man。〃
At length Jean was left alone with his father。
〃Reckon you're used to bunkin' outdoors？〃 queried the rancher；
rather abruptly。
〃Most of the time；〃 replied Jean。
〃Wal； there's room in the house； but I want you to sleep out。
Come get your beddin' an' gun。 I'll show you。〃
They went outside on the porch； where Jean shouldered his roll of
tarpaulin and blankets。 His rifle； in its saddle sheath； leaned
against the door。 His father took it