Though her thought was of him, it was not wholly upon him.  She sat where she could watch the window, Dick’s revolver in another chair beside her.  It was a still, starry night, and faintly she could see the hazy purple, mountain line.  Somewhere beneath those uncaring stars was the man who had done this awful thing.  Was he far, or was he near?  Would he come to make sure he had not failed?  Her fearful heart told her that he would come.

She must have fought her fears nearly an hour before she heard the faintest of sounds outside.  Her hand leaped to the revolver.  She sat motionless, listening, with nerves taut.  It came again presently, a deadened footfall, close to the door.  Then, after an eternity, the latch clicked softly.  Some one, with infinite care, was trying to discover whether the door was locked.

His next move she anticipated.  Her eyes fastened on the window, while she waited breathlessly.  Her heart was stammering furiously.  Moments passed, in which she had to set her teeth to keep from screaming aloud.  The revolver was shaking so that she had to steady the barrel with her left hand.  A shadow crossed one pane, the shadow of a head in profile, and pushed itself forward till shoulders, arm, and poised revolver covered the lower sash.  Very, very slowly the head itself crept into sight.

Arlie fired and screamed simultaneously.  The thud of a fall, the scuffle of a man gathering himself to his feet again, the rush of retreating steps, all merged themselves in one single impression of fierce, exultant triumph.

Her only regret was that she had not killed him.  She was not even sure that she had hit him, for her bullet had gone through the glass within an inch of the inner woodwork.  Nevertheless, she knew that he had had a shock that would carry him far.  Unless he had accomplices with him—­ and of that there had been no evidence at the time of the attack from Bald Knob—­ he would not venture another attempt.  Of one thing she was sure.  The face that had looked in at the window was one she had never seen before, In this, too, she found relief—­ for she knew now that the face she had expected to see follow the shadow over the pane had been that of Jed Briscoe; and Jed had too much of the courage of Lucifer incarnate in him to give up because an unexpected revolver had been fired in his face.

Time crept slowly, but it could hardly have been a quarter of an hour later that she heard the galloping of horses.

“It is Dick!” she cried joyfully, and, running to the door, she unbolted and unlocked it just as France dragged Teddy to a halt and flung himself to the ground.

The young man gave a shout of gladness at sight of her.

“Is it all right, Arlie?”

“Yes.  That is—­ I don’t know.  He is delirious.  A man came to the window, and I shot at him.  Oh, Dick, I’m so glad you’re back.”

In her great joy, she put her arms round his neck and kissed him.  Old Doctor Lee, dismounting more leisurely, drawled his protest.