Judith of the Godless Valley

women, whiskey, the

nough for

eton F

d the Browns' ranch. Dusk was settling in the valley. The quivering aspens along Lost Chief creek were etched gray rose on the deep blue s

ute from the cemetery, had been home for a half-hour before Doug arrived. She was coming out of the cow stable, lantern in hand, when the bo

ing! Did you believe wha

p to his face. "Come into the c

ntern on a nail and sat down on a box,

eved it, boy

o that count in this valley. Is it

sniffed

ug rushed on, "why did you

hing but a blankety blank sissy

u do, Grandma? I'm just the

ou've seen that's set you to thinking and the fear of death is on you for the

ma," he cried passionately, "how

to Douglas. "Doug, I don't think you can, living among the folks you do. To have my kind

above his broad shoulders, said despairin

don't believe a wild young devil like y

mself to his full height

nderstand me!" he excl

nd gallo

night and Judith, instead of helping her mother with the supper preparations, went out to milk, and so Doug's secon

He sauntered into the little stab

lo,

glas! Finis

k. What did you thi

hinking of

believe there's

't want to t

onely and I've got

ose I'm lonely, too? What good does talk do? Religion is all right f

breaking out above his lips again. "Doesn't the th

h obstinately, "I just don't

you so cross ever

Her eyes, in the lantern light, widened with a horror so

nd there's no place to go for help b

said, "We've got to harden ourselves to stand it, like the rest of 'em do.

as did not stir but as he stood looking down at her a strange aching gladness at

ilk pail in for y

carried it in every night for four years! You'd

enly laughed

nts Grandma Brown had made. But Doug was only sixteen, after all, and shortly he was absorbed by other matters: the h

wed and removed the last chance of finding Scott's tracks. The cold was intense, and the job really b

e as clever as the men in handling horses and cattle. Judith was easily the best of them. There was a fire and vim about her work, a wild grace, that the other girls lacked. Douglas, his vision sharpened by h

irst steer. Douglas wished that there were not so many of the riders with admiration in their eyes. Judith sat Swift lightly, edging mischievously now against one rider, now another. Swift bit Buster, who reared while Douglas swore laughingly. Magpies swooped from the blue spruce at the edge of the corral, black and white against pale blue.

d stumbled. Swift sat back on her haunches, turned as she rose and leaped toward the dehorning corral. The bellowing steer was dragged ba

and amidst a gush of blood sawed off the horns close to the head. John seared the stubs with the hot iron dipped in tar. The poo

u're the cow ropingest g

that baa-baa you're rid

ell of a name f

ping 'em at that, Ji

rned John. "She thinks more of

mmy. "Take this heifer, fello

itten when we finish wi

son. White angora and sheepskin chaps were gaumed with thick clots of blood. The horses, half frantic from t

ously for some time when Dougla

the shoulder of

back and shaded his

s coming do

over," said Douglas. "Can

are intently. Others noticed hi

sons!" cried Ch

et him?" excla

d giving up. Let's hear

o

beyond words, leading an emaciated young bull, drew rein beside the smaller corral. The roping came to a pause.

?" asked Scott hoarsely. His bloods

nd the bull, Sc

ire Mesa. Been round ab

harleton Falkner pushed D

e shortly, his fre

as worth the price

the brute's white face and formed a crimson icicle on its under lip. John had run his fingers through his ashen hair, leaving it blood

did I pay?"

ed John, "you t

, told of their trip with the mail stage. Scott listened with l

o had Oscar. You fought for over a year about that fool bull, first one of you branding it, t

and your friend like you did mine when I

ude!" excla

alf smiled. "You needn't

much good, if he's gu

lk

r at least one friend,"

you picking on

Grandpa!" pip

he only white man in the valley! I came in to give myself up, Jude. The cold got me. I

rag from his shoulder, disclosing a vivid wound.

ders. John and Charleton, the oldest

e with him," said John. "I'll go to the house and

rry you so far, Sc

his hard hazel eyes. "You take the bull, Jude," he sa

rs. "If Dad'll only let me!

rudging consent to Judith's taking the bull, and the dehorning went on. Not until the blue velvet shadow of Falkner's Peak lay heavy on the incarnadined c

mate for Sw

jealous!" ret

" demande

ing a herd b

t a smile, and nothing more was s

Judith why she had shown so mu

y for him,"

ur old neighbor!

tch on his gun, Dad; and

carried the law on his hip. It's different now. You're altogether too highty-tight

made no

get to Mountain City by horse, wagon, or automobile, attended the court sessions. Judith and Douglas were chief witne

did not return at once to Lost Chief. The attitude of y

d his boyhood. He did not know why. He was not old enough to realize that when the fires of desire an

y affected by the murder than Douglas; not that she was less sensitive or intelligent than he, but she was far less introspective than her foster-brother. And Judith h

y and it was a surprisingly well-read community. But Douglas, caring for Judith as he did, found it impos

Peter Knight officiated. It was a heavenly moonlit night. The air was fragrant from the acres of budding alfalfa and full of the lift and

nt smell of whiskey, which seemed to be the chief ingredient of a concoction in a large pail

Only when Sister started a fight with Prince did any one protes

of its third generation. Jimmy Day devoted himself to Little Marion Falkner, aged fourteen. Marion was called little to distinguish her from her mother, also Marion. The daughter at fourteen was five fee

a's grand-daughter, d

at twelve only slight

of an angel, the vocabu

of s

, was scorned by the older women but was brazenly popular

ly occasionally with Douglas, who

ance with. What's the matter with you anyho

all these roughneck riders." Douglas' chin was

t, studded with blue enameled rings, encircled a waist almost as slender as Jude's own. His white duck trousers were tur

en chuckle. "Run along, Doug. You aren't old enough to protect me

when Douglas achieved hi

cer in the room, and

to the other girls," she said

o Jude when she turn

h you and me with

about that!" re

liked, of cour

so honestly incredulous tha

e than a lot of th

ers and replied, "Judith's

se she's that kind of a girl. Why don'

went on, "Pretty fond of Jude, aren't you, Doug? Your father is a devil with women

see her?" demand

t to come to my house a

hasn't,"

k and lovely smile. Douglas' face softene

of the cheaply popular

onal opera records. He

pure, so

beauty upo

ild, ah,

d this hear

om the open door, "G

t Parsons!" cri

Young Jeff, his red face even redder than his visits to the pail would warrant,

come home! The nex

Spencer. "You let Judith alon

ted Young Jeff. "I told Scott n

achine. "Hold on, Jeff!" he cried. "You turned Scott over to the law, and the law acquitted him. If you'd wanted to ta

randma Brown. "And your

you can afford to

ee why Young Jeff should be allowe

him out, Jude, I

ous scuffle which ended in the three, laughing immoderately, executing a hybrid folk dance to the

e the worse for it. He and Douglas met at the pail shortly a

ed, Doug! Come outsid

tt Parsons, at Inez dancing with his father. "All right!" he said, and followed Charleton

f Young Jeff's, eh?" s

hen I get time to break him," replied Douglas. "I do

?" asked Charleton

lling upset me," sa

harleton. "It's a kind of mental stomach-ache most young

as gr

to run into Oscar that way," C

it was seeing Oscar laid in the ground to rot and hearin

te of don't give a hoop-la, when you're a little o

ng breath. "Is that all

tious, myself, once. You know my father was a college man

red at the mark of confidence being shown him. Charl

e? And it would all end up there in the cemetery, anyhow. And what had ambition to offer me in comparison to the sport of running wild horses on Fire Mesa

muttere

now you're through school?

mised me a herd of my o

little business with me once in a while when John

ow, Charleton, as well as I do, there isn't a young rider in Los

he meantime, keep your mouth shut to every one but your fat

tained. But Charleton now applied himself so strenuously to the business of getting

t where takes h

he realm of D

ises and the

epares it for

y will have to ease me to my horse," then he drowsed forward over the phonograph. Douglas and Peter, laughing

he party broke up. Scott disappeared with Judith.

hat nothing happens, D

drunk to

and Judith's treated me like a dog to-night. She's too

"You promised me you'd look out for her.

, I

ever tol

too y

You remember you told me

is step-mother said, hesitatingly, "Doug, I

m was the

going to the log schoolhouse, we girls never thought of to

o move!" gru

s in my day had real influence in the valley. There were many like Grandma Brown. But now! Why, your f

r own daughter," said Dou

ry resentfully. "What can I do wh

fully. "The Lord knows, all the kids in Lost C

nes it would have broken his heart to see around Judith's young lips. With unwonted

lot! But you are as good as gol

cheek for a moment, then, as he drew it away, she tried to retu

ed the living-room

ome by way of the west trail as peaceful as anythin

ng Judith as she sat down on the edge

turned round and left because I

could speak Judith rose and s

rowing and no cursing. I'm sick of it! Right here and n

ed his re

voice was quiet. "Finis

de

ng heavily, his eyes

e must be places in the world where t

rough?" dem

, I

alone." John flung himself on the bed, and before Mar

der pink mists rolled slowly away from the yellow wall of Lost Chief range. Judith, with heavy e

e on the wrong foot. You

odman

let 'em alone?"

ferent wi

irl. "We women do men's work in this valley. W

as. "Women have to pay a price the men

e world! I hate it! Looks like you'd eit

t. Only Dad's broke her

y ho

ll you one thing, Doug Spencer, Inez Rodman's given me m

there's something wrong about that. Mother know

on Judith's face g

fter all, it's good to be alive! I wish I had a horse as

Buster," said D

dropped. "Giv

ean

ouglas, what's

back his yellow; hair a

I love you. Won't y

doesn't seem more than yesterday that you were calling me a pug-nose

ott?" ask

! Why, Douglas, y

look c

Douglas' blue eyes. "N

ter and Prince to

, they're all you'v

Jeff gave me after the trial.

, you are a gentleman! If I do have a horse like Bu

And so am I yours. But I'm not going to nag you ab

t Douglas that for once in her life Judith was at a loss for a

o take Prince, Dougl

I will keep Prince for a whil

is lonesome, isn't it Doug! Seems as though I never dare to be myself any more, s

hat was pitiful. Youth should not be allowed to con

h," he said, "that y

igmatic look and r