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at home in the woods。 He had eyes black as night and sharp as lightnin'。
They shore saw about all there was to see。〃
Jorth chewed at his mustache and lost himself in brooding thought。
〃Dad； tell me； is there goin' to be a war？〃 asked Ellen； presently。
What a red； strange； rolling flash blazed in his eyes！ His body jerked。
〃Shore。 You might as well know。〃
〃Between sheepmen and cattlemen？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃With y'u； dad； at the haid of one faction and Gaston Isbel the other？ 〃
〃Daughter； you have it correct； so far as you go。〃
〃Oh！ 。 。 。 Dad； can't this fight be avoided？〃
〃You forget you're from Texas；〃 he replied。
〃Cain't it be helped？〃 she repeated； stubbornly。
〃No！〃 he declared； with deep； hoarse passion。
〃Why not？〃
〃Wal； we sheepmen are goin' to run sheep anywhere we like on the range。
An' cattlemen won't stand for that。〃
〃But； dad； it's so foolish；〃 declared Ellen； earnestly。 〃Y'u sheepmen
do not have to run sheep over the cattle range。〃
〃I reckon we do。〃
〃Dad； that argument doesn't go with me。 I know the country。 For years
to come there will be room for both sheep and cattle without overrunnin'。
If some of the range is better in water and grass； then whoever got there
first should have it。 That shore is only fair。 It's common sense； too。〃
〃Ellen； I reckon some cattle people have been prejudicin' you；〃 said
Jorth； bitterly。
〃Dad！〃 she cried； hotly。
This had grown to be an ordeal for Jorth。 He seemed a victim of
contending tides of feeling。 Some will or struggle broke within him
and the change was manifest。 Haggard； shifty…eyed； with wabbling chin；
he burst into speech。
〃See heah； girl。 You listen。 There's a clique of ranchers down in
the Basin； all those you named； with Isbel at their haid。 They have
resented sheepmen comin' down into the valley。 They want it all to
themselves。 That's the reason。 Shore there's another。 All the Isbels
are crooked。 They're cattle an' horse thieveshave been for years。
Gaston Isbel always was a maverick rustler。 He's gettin' old now an'
rich； so he wants to cover his tracks。 He aims to blame this cattle
rustlin' an' horse stealin' on to us sheepmen； an' run us out of the
country。〃
Gravely Ellen Jorth studied her father's face； and the newly found
truth…seeing power of her eyes did not fail her。 In part； perhaps
in all； he was telling lies。 She shuddered a little； loyally battling
against the insidious convictions being brought to fruition。 Perhaps
in his brooding over his failures and troubles he leaned toward false
judgments。 Ellen could not attach dishonor to her father's motives or
speeches。 For long； however； something about him had troubled her；
perplexed her。 Fearfully she believed she was coming to some
revelation； and； despite her keen determination to know； she
found herself shrinking。
〃Dad； mother told me before she died that the Isbels had ruined you；〃
said Ellen； very low。 It hurt her so to see her father cover his
face that she could hardly go on。 〃If they ruined you they ruined
all of us。 I know what we had oncewhat we lost again and againand
I see what we are come to now。 Mother hated the Isbels。 She taught me
to hate the very name。 But I never knew how they ruined youor why
or when。 And I want to know now。〃
Then it was not the face of a liar that Jorth disclosed。 The present
was forgotten。 He lived in the past。 He even seemed younger 'in the
revivifying flash of hate that made his face radiant。 The lines burned
out。 Hate gave him back the spirit of his youth。
〃Gaston Isbel an' I were boys together in Weston； Texas；〃 began Jorth；
in swift； passionate voice。 〃We went to school together。 We loved
the same girlyour mother。 When the war broke out she was engaged
to Isbel。 His family was rich。 They influenced her people。 But she
loved me。 When Isbel went to war she married me。 He came back an'
faced us。 God！ I'll never forget that。 Your mother confessed her
unfaithfulnessby Heaven！ She taunted him with it。 Isbel accused
me of winnin' her by lies。 But she took the sting out of that。
Isbel never forgave her an' he hounded me to ruin。 He made me out
a card…sharp； cheatin' my best friends。 I was disgraced。 Later he
tangled me in the courtshe beat me out of propertyan' last by
convictin' me of rustlin' cattle he run me out of Texas。〃
Black and distorted now； Jorth's face was a spectacle to make Ellen
sick with a terrible passion of despair and hate。 The truth of her
father's ruin and her own were enough。 What mattered all else？
Jorth beat the table with fluttering； nerveless hands that seemed
all the more significant for their lack of physical force。
〃An' so help me God； it's got to be wiped out in blood！〃 he hissed。
That was his answer to the wavering and nobility of Ellen。 And she
in her turn had no answer to make。 She crept away into the corner
behind the curtain； and there on her couch in the semidarkness she
lay with strained heart； and a resurging； unconquerable tumult in her
mind。 And she lay there from the middle of that afternoon until the
next morning。
When she awakened she expected to be unable to riseshe hoped she
could notbut life seemed multiplied in her； and inaction was
impossible。 Something young and sweet and hopeful that had been
in her did not greet the sun this morning。 In their place was a
woman's passion to learn for herself； to watch events； to meet what
must come； to survive。
After breakfast； at which she sat alone； she decided to put Isbel's
package out of the way； so that it would not be subjecting her to
continual annoyance。 The moment she picked it up the old curiosity
assailed her。
〃Shore I'll see what it is； anyway；〃 she muttered； and with swift
hands she opened the package。 The action disclosed two pairs of fine；
soft shoes； of a style she had never seen； and four pairs of stockings；
two of strong； serviceable wool； and the others of a finer texture。
Ellen looked at them in amaze。 Of all things in the world； these would
have been the last she expected to see。 And； strangely； they were what
she wanted and needed most。 Naturally； then； Ellen made the mistake of
taking them in her hands to feel their softness and warmth。
〃Shore！ He saw my bare legs！ And he brought me these presents he'd
intended for his sister。 。 。 。 He was ashamed for mesorry for me。
。 。 And I thought he looked at me bold…like； as I'm used to be looked
at heah！ Isbel or not； he's shore。 。 。〃
But Ellen Jorth could not utter aloud the conviction her intelligence
tried to force upon her。
〃It'd be a pity to burn them；〃 she mused。 〃I cain't do it。
Sometime I might send them to Ann Isbel。〃
Whereupon she wrapped them up again and hid them in the bottom of the
old trunk； and slowly； as she lowered the lid； looking darkly； blankly
at the wall； she whispered： 〃Jean Isbel！ 。 。 。 I hate him！〃
Later when Ellen went outdoors she carried her rifle； which was unusual
for her； unless she intended to go into the woods。
The morning was sunny and warm。 A group of shirt…sleeved men lounged
in the hall and before the porch of the double cabin。 Her father was
pacing