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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 e 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 thes in the world, these would have been the last she expected to see And, strangely, they hat she wanted and neededthem in her hands to feel their softness and warht me these presents he'd intended for his sister He was ashaht 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 theht send theain 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 ed in the hall and before the porch of the double cabin Her father was pacing up and down, talking forcibly Ellen heard his hoarse voice As she approached he ceased talking and his listeners relaxed their attention Ellen's glance ran over thes, with his superb head, like that of a hawk, uncovered to the sun; Colter with his lowered, secretive looks, his sand-gray lean face; Jackson Jorth, her uncle, huge, gaunt, hulking, hite in his black beard and hair, and the fire of a ghoul in his hollow eyes; Tad Jorth, another brother of her father's, younger, red of eye and nose, a weak-chinned drinker of rued there, partners of Daggs, and they were sun-browned, light-haired, blue-eyed h-heeled boots to their broad black sombreros They claimed to be sheepmen All Ellen could be sure of was that Rock Wells spentbut look for a chance to waylay her; Springer was a gae name of Queen, was a silent, lazy, watchful-eyed ht hand and who never was seen without a gun within easy reach of that hand