“I thought he knew better than this,” said Douglas, pitifully.

“He hadn’t any outside clothes on.”  Peter fingered the cotton jumper.  “Had a sudden thought and went off as crazy as Jude.  Let’s lift him into the house.”

They opened the door.  On the floor beside the stove lay John, his right leg bloody.  They laid old Johnny carefully against the wall.  Douglas stood rigidly staring at his father.  Peter hurriedly lifted the wounded man’s hands, then forced some whiskey down his throat.

“Start a fire, Doug!” he ordered.

Douglas did not stir.  He stood, blue eyes haggard, cheeks frost-burned, staring at his father.  John opened his eyes.

“Get my right boot off, for God’s sake!” he said faintly.

“Wait!” said Douglas peremptorily, when Peter would have obeyed.  “Give him some more whiskey so I can hear the story and be off.  Those were Judith’s tracks back, there.”

“The pain is killing me!” protested John.

“Where is Judith?  Have you hurt her?” demanded Doug.

Peter applied his flask again to John’s mouth.  John drank, then groaned.  “I was drunk.  Awful drunk.  If Doug hadn’t been so crazy about the preacher he’d have seen that.  Jude went down to the house to get some warm things while she hunted for the preacher.  I followed her.  The house was warm and got me even more fuddled than I was.  I don’t know what I said but she came at me like a wild cat.  Then she ran out of the house and me after her.  I never touched her.  I never saw such riding.  I could just keep her in sight, and it wasn’t till daylight that I came up to her in this valley.  After I sobered up I kept yelling at her, trying to explain.  But she didn’t even turn her head.  Then I rode my horse round in front of her and she turned that devilish little wild mare loose on me, kicking and biting my horse like a stallion.  In the middle of the mix-up, that blank old fool of a Johnny gallops up, half-dressed and shooting in every direction.  Jude she takes off up the valley and Johnny gave me this leg when I tried to follow.  I got up here, him following me, and the fool wouldn’t help me.  Just sat guard outside the door.  I kept telling him he’d freeze to death.  He kept saying he was saving Jude for Douglas.”  John ended with another groan.

Douglas stood clenching and unclenching his gloved hands.  Suddenly he turned on his heel.  “Come on, Peter.”

“We can’t leave your father this way, Doug.”

“Come on, I tell you!” Doug’s low voice was as hard as his eyes.

“Wait!” cried Peter.

“Wait!  Wait!  While Judith freezes to death too!” exclaimed Douglas.

“She couldn’t freeze to death.  She’s too mad!” groaned John.

“An hour won’t make any difference,” urged Peter.  “I guess Jude had this thing planned out.”

“Planned!” Douglas’ blue eyes burned.  “She’s gone off her head with anger and disgust and she doesn’t care where she goes as long as she’s rid of him.  I know Jude!”