Jane greeted him with surprise and warmth, set meat and bread and drink before him; and called Lassiter out to see him.  The men exchanged glances, and the meaning of 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 moved up some, near the spring, an’ now I go there nights.”

“Judkins—­the white herd?” queried Jane, hurriedly.

“Miss Withersteen, I make proud to say I’ve not lost a steer.  Fer a good while after thet stampede Lassiter milled we hed no trouble.  Why, even the sage dogs left us.  But it’s begun agin—­thet flashin’ of lights over ridge tips, an’ queer puffin’ of smoke, en’ then at night strange whistles en’ noises.  But the herd’s acted magnificent.  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 more nerve than grown men, because they don’t know what danger is.  “I’m not denyin’ there’s danger.  But they glory in it, an’ mebbe I like it myself—­anyway, we’ll stick.  We’re goin’ 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-room.  Lassiter will help you.  I—­I can’t thank you enough...but—­wait.”

Jane went to the room that had once been her father’s, and from a secret chamber in the thick stone wall she took a bag of gold, and, carrying it back to the court, she gave it to the rider.

“There, Judkins, and understand that I regard it as little for your loyalty.  Give what is fair to your boys, and keep the rest.  Hide it.  Perhaps that would be wisest.”

“Oh...Miss Withersteen!” ejaculated the rider.  “I couldn’t earn so much in—­in ten years.  It’s not right—­I oughtn’t take it.”

“Judkins, you know I’m a rich woman.  I tell you I’ve few faithful friends.  I’ve fallen upon evil days.  God only knows what will become of me and mine!  So take the gold.”

She smiled in understanding of his speechless gratitude, and left him with Lassiter.  Presently she heard him speaking low at first, then in louder accents emphasized by the thumping of his rifle on the stones.  “As infernal a job as even you, Lassiter, ever heerd of.”

“Why, son,” was Lassiter’s reply, “this breakin’ of Miss Withersteen may seem bad to you, but it ain’t bad—­yet.  Some of these wall-eyed fellers who look jest as if they was walkin’ in the shadow of Christ himself, right down the sunny road, now they can think of things en’ do things that are really hell-bent.”