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Good and evil began to seeood; yet here was a entleness, patience, and love any man she had ever known

She had almost lost track of herJudkins presented himself before her in the courtyard

Thin, hard, burnt, bearded, with the dust and sage thick on hi froh on the stirrup side, he looked the rider of riders He wore two guns and carried a Winchester

Jane greeted him with surprise and warmth, set meat and bread and drink before hilances, and theof Lassiter's keen inquiry and Judkins's bold reply, both unspoken, was not lost upon Jane

"Where's your hoss?" asked Lassiter, aloud

"Left him down the slope," answered Judkins "I footed it in a ways, an' slept last night in the sage I went to the place you told me you 'moss always slept, but didn't strike you"

"I hts"

"Judkins--the white herd?" queried Jane, hurriedly

"Miss Withersteen, I ood while after thet stae dogs left us But it's begun agin--thet flashin' of lights over ridge tips, an' queer puffin' of se whistles en' noises But the herd's acted nificent An' my boys, say, Miss Withersteen, they're only kids, but I ask no better riders I got the laugh in the village fer takin' them out They're a wild lot, an' you know boys hev er is "I'lory in it, an' oin' to drive the herd on the far side of the first break of Deception Pass

There's a great round valley over there, an' no ridges or piles of rocks to aid these stampeders The rains are due We'll hev plenty of water fer a while An' we can hold thet herd from anybody except Oldrin' I come in fer supplies I'll pack a couple of burros an' drive out after dark to-night"

"Judkins, take what you want from the store-roohbut--wait"

Jane went to the room that had once been her father's, and froold, and, carrying it back to the court, she gave it to the rider