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kins put in appearance； riding a lame horse； and dismounted with the cramp of a rider； his dust…covered figure and his darkly grim； almost dazed expression told Jane of dire calamity。 She had no need of words。
〃Miss Withersteen； I have to reportloss of thewhite herd；〃 said Judkins； hoarsely。
〃Come； sit down； you look played out；〃 replied Jane； solicitously。 She brought him brandy and food； and while he partook of refreshments； of which he appeared badly in need； she asked no questions。
〃No one ridercould hev done moreMiss Withersteen；〃 he went on； presently。
〃Judkins； don't be distressed。 You've done more than any other rider。 I've long expected to lose the white herd。 It's no surprise。 It's in line with other things that are happening。 I'm grateful for your service。〃
〃Miss Withersteen； I knew how you'd take it。 But if anythin'； that makes it harder to tell。 You see； a feller wants to do so much fer you； an' I'd got fond of my job。 We led the herd a ways off to the north of the break in the valley。 There was a big level an' pools of water an' tip…top browse。 But the cattle was in a high nervous condition。 Wild as wild as antelope！ You see； they'd been so scared they never slept。 I ain't a…goin' to tell you of the many tricks that were pulled off out there in the sage。 But there wasn't a day for weeks thet the herd didn't get started to run。 We allus managed to ride 'em close an' drive 'em back an' keep 'em bunched。 Honest； Miss Withersteen； them steers was thin。 They was thin when water and grass was everywhere。 Thin at this seasonthet'll tell you how your steers was pestered。 Fer instance； one night a strange runnin' streak of fire run right through the herd。 That streak was a coyotewith an oiled an' blazin' tail！ Fer I shot it an' found out。 We had hell with the herd that night； an' if the sage an' grass hadn't been wetwe； hosses； steers； an' all would hev burned up。 But I said I wasn't goin' to tell you any of the tricks。。。。Strange now； Miss Withersteen； when the stampede did come it was from natural cause jest a whirlin' devil of dust。 You've seen the like often。 An' this wasn't no big whirl； fer the dust was mostly settled。 It had dried out in a little swale； an' ordinarily no steer would ever hev run fer it。 But the herd was nervous en' wild。 An' jest as Lassiter said； when that bunch of white steers got to movin' they was as bad as buffalo。 I've seen some buffalo stampedes back in Nebraska； an' this bolt of the steers was the same kind。
〃I tried to mill the herd jest as Lassiter did。 But I wasn't equal to it； Miss Withersteen。 I don't believe the rider lives who could hev turned thet herd。 We kept along of the herd fer miles； an' more 'n one of my boys tried to get the steers a…millin'。 It wasn't no use。 We got off level ground； goin' down； an' then the steers ran somethin' fierce。 We left the little gullies an' washes level…full of dead steers。 Finally I saw the herd was makin' to pass a kind of low pocket between ridges。 There was a hog…backas we used to call 'ema pile of rocks stickin' up； and I saw the herd was goin' to split round it； or swing out to the left。 An' I wanted 'em to go to the right so mebbe we'd be able to drive 'em into the pocket。 So； with all my boys except three； I rode hard to turn the herd a little to the right。 We couldn't budge 'em。 They went on en' split round the rocks； en' the most of 'em was turned sharp to the left by a deep wash we hedn't seenhed no chance to see。
〃The other three boysJimmy Vail； Joe Willis； an' thet little Cairns boya nervy kid！ they； with Cairns leadin'； tried to buck thet herd round to the pocket。 It was a wild； fool idee。 I couldn't do nothin'。 The boys got hemmed in between the steers an' the washthet they hedn't no chance to see； either。 Vail an' Willis was run down right before our eyes。 An' Cairns； who rode a fine hoss； he did some ridin'。 I never seen equaled； en' would hev beat the steers if there'd been any room to run in。 I was high up an' could see how the steers kept spillin' by twos an' threes over into the wash。 Cairns put his hoss to a place thet was too wide fer any hoss； an' broke his neck an' the hoss's too。 We found that out after； an' as fer Vail an' Willistwo thousand steers ran over the poor boys。 There wasn't much left to pack home fer burying！。。。An'； Miss Withersteen； thet all happened yesterday； en' I believe； if the white herd didn't run over the wall of the Pass； it's runnin' yet。〃
On the morning of the second day after Judkins's recital； during which time Jane remained indoors a prey to regret and sorrow for the boy riders； and a new and now strangely insistent fear for her own person； she again heard what she had missed more than she dared honestly confessthe soft； jingling step of Lassiter。 Almost overwhelming relief surged through her； a feeling as akin to joy as any she could have been capable of in those gloomy hours of shadow； and one that suddenly stunned her with the significance of what Lassiter had come to mean to her。 She had begged him； for his own sake； to leave Cottonwoods。 She might yet beg that； if her weakening courage permitted her to dare absolute loneliness and helplessness； but she realized now that if she were left alone her life would become one long； hideous nightmare。
When his soft steps clinked into the hall； in answer to her greeting； and his tall； black…garbed form filled the door； she felt an inexpressible sense of immediate safety。 In his presence she lost her fear of the dim passageways of Withersteen House and of every sound。 Always it had been that； when he entered the court or the hall； she had experienced a distinctly sickening but gradually lessening shock at sight of the huge black guns swinging at his sides。 This time the sickening shock again visited her； it was； however； because a revealing flash of thought told her that it was not alone Lassiter who was thrillingly welcome； but also his fatal weapons。 They meant so much。 How she had fallenhow broken and spiritless must she beto have still the same old horror of Lassiter's guns and his name； yet feel somehow a cold； shrinking protection in their law and might and use。
〃Did you trail Ventersfind his wonderful valley？〃 she asked； eagerly。
〃Yes； an' I reckon it's sure a wonderful place。〃
〃Is he safe there？〃
〃That's been botherin' me some。 I tracked him an' part of the trail was the hardest I ever tackled。 Mebbe there's a rustler or somebody in this country who's as good at trackin' as I am。 If that's so Venters ain't safe。〃
〃Welltell me all about Bern and his valley。〃
To Jane's surprise Lassiter showed disinclination for further talk about his trip。 He appeared to be extremely fatigued。 Jane reflected that one hundred and twenty miles； with probably a great deal of climbing on foot； all in three days； was enough to tire any rider。 Moreover； it presently developed that Lassiter had returned in a mood of singular sadness and preoccupation。 She put it down to a moodiness over the loss of her white herd and the now precarious condition of her fortune。
Several days passed； and as nothing happened； Jane's spirits began to brighten。 Once in her musings she thought that this tendency of hers to rebound was as sad as it