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"I asked Bill--not to--go," faltered the Jacobs woroped back to the co and white, received her in their ar over Jean's shoulder She had the nerve of a man She had looked out upon death before

"Yes, they're dead," she said, bitterly "An' how are we goin' to get their bodies?"

At this Gaston Isbel seemed to rouse from the cold spell that had transfixed him

"God, this is hell for our women," he cried out, hoarsely "My son--my son!Murdered by the Jorths!" Then he swore a terrible oath

Jean saw the reet off, and then, all of thean to move around to the left

"Dad, they're movin' round," said Jean

"Up to some trick," declared Bill Isbel

"Bill, youup," ordered the father "Shore we've got to look out"

The elder son grasped a tool and, scattering the children, who had been playing near the back corner, he began to work at the point designated The little children backed aith fixed, wondering, grave eyes The wo and listening

Jean watched the rustlers until they passed out of his sight They had round to the north and west of the cabins

"Let et a hole in the back wall," said Jean, and he went through the kitchen and cautiously out another door to slip into a low-roofed, shed-like end of the ra cabin This small space was used to store winter firewood The chinks between the walls had not been filled with adobe clay, and he could see out on three sides The rustlers were going into the juniper brush They ht, and presently reappeared without their horses It looked to Jean as if they intended to attack the cabins Then they halted at the edge of the brush and held a long consultation Jean could see theh they were too far distant for hinize any particular man One of theroup Evidently, fro his listeners Jean concluded this was either Daggs or Jorth Whoever it was had a loud, coarse voice, and this and his actions impressed Jean with a suspicion that the man was under the influence of the bottle