“And,” suggested Charleton with a grin, “if you encourage those broncos of yours, they each might have three or four slicks every spring, and if you keep up practice with the blacksnake on the old milch cow—­”

“Dry up, Charleton!” exclaimed Peter.  “What do you think of the idea, Frank?”

“It ain’t bad,” answered the sheriff slowly, “though I ain’t afraid of the Mormons coming in.”

“That’s where you are wrong,” said Charleton.  “They are going to get Lost Chief Valley by any straight or crooked method they can think up.  With an ornery devil like Scott to climb over, they won’t try to come in that entrance, that’s sure.”

“How about it, Scott?” asked the sheriff.

“I’d just as soon, and I’d just as soon say that I sure went crazy when Doug gave me those two good ones and I did what I wouldn’t have done if I’d taken time to think.”

“Well,” grinned Douglas, “nobody is going to kick if you don’t take time to think over in the Mormon valley.”

Sheriff Day rose with a laugh.  “I’ve got to get to the alfalfa field I’m plowing.  Come on, Jimmy.”

Jimmy rose to his good six feet of height and pulled on his gloves.  “I feel like I’d been praying,” he said.  “That is, if I’d ever heard a prayer, I’d say so.”  He made a face at Judith and followed his father.

John Spencer looked from Douglas to Peter and from Peter to Charleton with a little lift of his chin.  Then he said, “When are you coming home, Doug?”

“Not till Jude believes I didn’t tell on her last summer.”

“I’ll get the truth out of Scott!” exclaimed John, drawing his six-shooter.

“Aw, put it up, John, you feather-brain you,” drawled Scott.  “I told Charleton, Jude.  He paid me for the information.  I never supposed he’d hold it against a girl.”

Judith turned very red.  “Scott Parsons, I hope you go up that Mormon valley and that they get you, you blank-blank double-crosser you!”

Scott shrugged his shoulders.  Judith glared at each of the men in turn.  “I hate you all, every one of you!” she cried.  “What chance has a girl among you?  You’re just like a lot of coyotes after a rabbit!”

“Rabbit!  Say lynx-cat, Jude!” laughed John.

Judith tossed her head and rushed out of the room.  The men laughed hugely as she banged the door.  Only Douglas remained sober.

“Well,” said John, “I suppose you’ll be home in a day or two, Doug.”

“If Charleton can find some one I will be.”

“I’ll give him half time,” volunteered Scott.

“Nothing doing!” replied Charleton.  “Nobody gets a second chance to double-cross me!”

Scott flushed angrily but shrugged his shoulders.  Charleton went on, “Of course, Charleton, Jr. won’t be able to ride for a month or so but Jimmy Day will help me out in the meantime.”

“Son smoke yet?” asked Peter.

“No; I have to spend so much time doing jury duty on my neighbors, I haven’t got round to teaching him.  He weighs a big ten pounds, the little devil.”