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tarpaulin and blankets。 His rifle； in its saddle sheath； leaned
against the door。 His father took it up and； half pulling it out；
looked at it by the starlight。 〃Forty…four； eh？ Wal； wal； there's
shore no better； if a man can hold straight。 〃At the moment a big
gray dog trotted up to sniff at Jean。 〃An' heah's your bunkmate；
Shepp。 He's part lofer； Jean。 His mother was a favorite shepherd
dog of mine。 His father was a big timber wolf that took us two years
to kill。 Some bad wolf packs runnin' this Basin。〃
The night was cold and still； darkly bright under moon and stars；
the smell of hay seemed to mingle with that of cedar。 Jean followed
his father round the house and up a gentle slope of grass to the edge
of the cedar line。 Here several trees with low…sweeping thick branches
formed a dense； impenetrable shade。
〃Son； your uncle Jean was scout for Liggett； one of the greatest
rebels the South had；〃 said the rancher。 〃An' you're goin' to be
scout for the Isbels of Tonto。 Reckon you'll find it 'most as hot
as your uncle did。 。 。 。 Spread your bed inside。 You can see out；
but no one can see you。 Reckon there's been some queer happenin's
'round heah lately。 If Shepp could talk he'd shore have lots to
tell us。 Bill an' Guy have been sleepin' out； trailin' strange hoss
tracks； an' all that。 But shore whoever's been prowlin' around heah
was too sharp for them。 Some bad； crafty； light…steppin' woodsmen
'round heah； Jean。 。 。 。 Three mawnin's ago； just after daylight；
I stepped out the back door an' some one of these sneaks I'm talkin'
aboot took a shot at me。 Missed my head a quarter of an inch！
To…morrow I'll show you the bullet hole in the doorpost。 An' some
of my gray hairs that 're stickin' in it！〃
〃Dad！〃 ejaculated Jean； with a hand outstretched。 That's awful！
You frighten me。〃
〃No time to be scared；〃 replied his father； calmly。 〃They're shore
goin' to kill me。 That's why I wanted you home。 。 。 。 In there with
you； now！ Go to sleep。 You shore can trust Shepp to wake you if he
gets scent or sound。 。 。 。 An' good night； my son。 I'm sayin' that
I'll rest easy to…night。〃
Jean mumbled a good night and stood watching his father's shining
white head move away under the starlight。 Then the tall； dark form
vanished； a door closed； and all was still。 The dog Shepp licked
Jean's hand。 Jean felt grateful for that warm touch。 For a moment
he sat on his roll of bedding； his thought still locked on the
shuddering revelation of his father's words； 〃They're shore goin'
to kill me。〃 The shock of inaction passed。 Jean pushed his pack
in the dark opening and； crawling inside； he unrolled it and made
his bed。
When at length he was comfortably settled for the night he breathed
a long sigh of relief。 What bliss to relax！ A throbbing and burning
of his muscles seemed to begin with his rest。 The cool starlit night；
the smell of cedar； the moan of wind； the silencean were real to his
senses。 After long weeks of long； arduous travel he was home。 The
warmth of the welcome still lingered； but it seemed to have been
pierced by an icy thrust。 What lay before him？ The shadow in the
eyes of his aunt； in the younger； fresher eyes of his sisterJean
connected that with the meaning of his father's tragic words。 Far
past was the morning that had been so keen； the breaking of camp in
the sunlit forest； the riding down the brown aisles under the pines；
the music of bleating lambs that had called him not to pass by。
Thought of Ellen Jorth recurred。 Had he met her only that morning？
She was up there in the forest； asleep under the starlit pines。
Who was she？ What was her story？ That savage fling of her skirt；
her bitter speech and passionate flaming facethey haunted Jean。
They were crystallizing into simpler memories； growing away from
his bewilderment； and therefore at once sweeter and more doubtful。
〃Maybe she meant differently from what I thought；〃 Jean soliloquized。
〃Anyway； she was honest。〃 Both shame and thrill possessed him at the
recall of an insidious ideadare he go back and find her and give her
the last package of gifts he had brought from the city？ What might
they mean to poor； ragged； untidy； beautiful Ellen Jorth？ The idea
grew on Jean。 It could not be dispelled。 He resisted stubbornly。
It was bound to go to its fruition。 Deep into his mind had sunk an
impression of her needa material need that brought spirit and pride
to abasement。 From one picture to another his memory wandered； from
one speech and act of hers to another； choosing； selecting； casting
aside； until clear and sharp as the stars shone the words； 〃Oh； I've
been kissed before！〃 That stung him now。 By whom？ Not by one man；
but by several； by many； she had meant。 Pshaw！ he had only been
sympathetic and drawn by a strange girl in the woods。 To…morrow
he would forget。 Work there was for him in Grass Valley。 And he
reverted uneasily to the remarks of his father until at last sleep
claimed him。
A cold nose against his cheek； a low whine； awakened Jean。 The big
dog Shepp was beside him； keen； wary； intense。 The night appeared
far advanced toward dawn。 Far away a cock crowed； the near…at…hand
one answered in clarion voice。 〃What is it； Shepp？〃 whispered Jean；
and he sat up。 The dog smelled or heard something suspicious to his
nature； but whether man or animal Jean could not tell。
CHAPTER III
The morning star； large； intensely blue…white； magnificent in its
dominance of the clear night sky； hung over the dim； dark valley
ramparts。 The moon had gone down and all the other stars were wan；
pale ghosts。
Presently the strained vacuum of Jean's ears vibrated to a low roar
of many hoofs。 It came from the open valley； along the slope to the
south。 Shepp acted as if he wanted the word to run。 Jean laid a hand
on the dog。 〃Hold on； Shepp；〃 he whispered。 Then hauling on his boots
and slipping into his coat Jean took his rifle and stole out into the
open。 Shepp appeared to be well trained； for it was evident that he
had a strong natural tendency to run off and hunt for whatever had
roused him。 Jean thought it more than likely that the dog scented an
animal of some kind。 If there were men prowling around the ranch Shepp；
might have been just as vigilant； but it seemed to Jean that the dog
would have shown less eagerness to leave him； or none at all。
In the stillness of the morning it took Jean a moment to locate the
direction of the wind； which was very light and coming from the south。
In fact that little breeze had borne the low roar of trampling hoofs。
Jean circled the ranch house to the right and kept along the slope at
the edge of the cedars。 It struck him suddenly how well fitted he was
for work of this sort。 All the work he had ever done； except for his
few years in school； had been in the open。 All the leisure he had ever
been able to obtain had been given to his ruling passion for hunting
and fishing。 Love of the wild had been born in Jean。 At this moment
he experienced a grim assurance of what his instinct and his training
might accomplish if directed to a stern and daring end。 Perhaps his
father under