“Somebody that knew.  Dad, why don’t you get after Doug like you do after me?  What was he doing over on Fire Mesa, all night?”

“That’s right, Doug!  What were you doing on Fire Mesa?” asked John, all a broad smile now that infuriated Judith.

She jumped up from the table, took down her milking pail and went out.  Nor did she give Douglas opportunity to talk to her during the rest of the day.  Not until twilight had settled in the valley did Douglas find her alone.  Then, searching for her, he discovered her behind the corral, curled up against the new alfalfa stack, her eyes on the sunset glow above Lost Chief Peak.

Douglas sat down beside her.  “I didn’t mean to tease you, this morning, Jude.  I was just trying to steer Dad off.”

“But you always do think my stunts never amount to anything, Doug!”

“Have I said a word like that, lately?  I can’t help being anxious, can I, when a girl like you stays out until three in the morning?”

“Yes, you were so anxious your snores shook the house!” returned Judith.  “Now admit, Doug, that you really think it was nothing worth worrying about.”

“Well, I don’t see how it could be anything so very important.”

“There, I knew it!  Doug, I’m so proud of myself that if I don’t tell some one, I’ll burst.  Give me your word of honor you’ll never give it away and I’ll tell you.”

“I swear I’ll die before I’ll peep!”

“Still think it’s funny, don’t you!  All right, mister, prepare to faint!  I was out helping Scott Parsons run cattle.”

Douglas gasped.

“There, Doug Spencer!  You’re such a wonder!  Of course,” honestly, “I didn’t do the hardest part.  Scott had got ’em all together in a corral before I got there.  But I held the herd in a little canyon for a couple of hours while he got old Nelson off the scent.  Then we drove ’em across the ridge, down into the desert country west of Mesa Pass.  He’s going to sell ’em in Mountain City and my share is a good bucking horse, like I told you.”

Douglas sat perfectly still, so torn by conflicting emotions that for a time he was speechless.  Finally, from the chaos of his mind rose an overwhelming anger.

“Do you think that’s a decent thing to do?  A girl, running cattle and with a confessed murderer at that?  I sure am ashamed of you, Jude!”

“Can you beat a man!” cried Judith to the flaming heavens.  “He won’t even give me credit for being a cattle wrangler!  And he says he loves me!”

Doug’s voice was furious.  “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, stealing cattle and running round with that Inez Rodman!”

“You just be careful of what you say, Doug Spencer!” “Careful!  Why should I be careful.  You aren’t careful!”

“I’m a whole lot better than you, at that!  If it’s so smart for you to do all these things, why isn’t it for me?”

“A woman has to be good.  It’s her job to be good.  If she isn’t good in a cattle country like this, everything goes to pieces.”