Judith of the Godless Valley

e cattle when the rustl

t Par

hed the panting team from the plow in the new oat f

fall plow

f the woods

ou'd come down to my place to-night. I'm planning a trip. I d

shook

n, "I guess Buster can s

break that dapple gray Young Jeff gave me, after the trial. H

Ride the young moose if you can stick on him. You'll need all

e lightning from the saddle. His horse jumped with him, landing in the kitchen as Douglas brought up against the door

se are here! Better

. Scott Parsons was sitting by the table, hat on the back of his head, spurred boots on the cold sto

ved his own hat to the back of his head, and sat down. Mrs. Falkner

is spurs beside Scott's, "there's a neat little job on the horizon. You both know the big

odded, and Char

of 'em are going to raise cattle in the canyon. Some of 'em are going into the sheep business in the plains country beyond the canyon, where we Lost Creek folks have been in the habit of wintering our herd when the snow's too deep here. Some o

reath came quickly. Scott's ha

hat we can of Nelson's herd that's grazing on Lost Chief. We'll bring 'em to a certa

t. "How many do you th

ps fifteen if we have good luck

glas. "It's all overgrown with bushes and young aspens so's I don't think o

quick glance. "How'd yo

it last summer

harleton. "We'll make a real cowman out

uldn't pay me enough to keep me away! N

. It'll be rough riding and that Moose of yours will be quite cons

ing along. Stage was late to-night and the crowd'll be t

imed Douglas, f

ar the cleverest hunter in the valley, but, most important of all, his name was whispered in connection with horse and cattle deals, never called questionable by Lost Chief but always mentioned with a wink and a chuckle for their

imes tried to discover where

rip to the half-way house," he said with a warning gri

of my own!" This with a

o w

folks beside you can have intere

le stunt with M

Say, Doug, did you k

y with her aunt and

'd like to do?" Doug watch

Judith with a little grin. "

; that's all I have to say about your my

arried her pail of m

Peak. The Moose did not approve of the trip. He showed his disapproval by plunging and side jumping with nerve-racking persistency. Ginger and Democrat gave him ample turni

zer, Doug?

Charleton?" laughed Douglas, a

f the peak, just under

ere. I may be del

untain. He allowed the Moose to circle for a moment, then he drove the rowells deep. The snorting horse leaped up the steep incline, at a pace that shortly left him g

and turned, falling heavily. Doug was out of the saddle when it cracked against the gravel and in it when the

abysses. He thrashed into trees and rocks. But he could not dislodge the figure that clung to his back with knee and spur. Douglas did not know how long t

better horse than Buster, and I don't want to break you more than I have to. But how about showing interest in me? I'm here to stay, you know, so you might as well begin to put me in

nd carried Doug cleverly into an open par

he announced, "climbing uphill all t

rleton and Scott looked up grinning as he rode into the circle of light. Wide bare patches showed on Doug's chaps. One sleeve of his flan

our horse broke ye

replied

said Scott. "Sounded as if a grizzly h

he was," grinned Dougl

nd said, "It's only a short time to

tin cup of coffee, and t

blanket, watched hi

. "A half-broke mule couldn't be worse. Funny if

ll, Scott!" g

rleton spoke sharply. "No scr

s broad shoulders, and shortly, head in his

t gray light when Charleton

d be off," he

bacon and coffee. While they were bolti

ng. Get what steers you can by mid-morning into the old corral. There isn't one chance in a thousand we'll meet any one. Nelson's making hay five miles below he

d corral from he

oug," ordere

vens, was etched the suave line of the peak and topping this a heap of rocks, surmounted by a staff. West o

the dead spruce in a thick clump of young aspe

ef could rope a steer from a well-trained horse. Douglas proposed to repay Scott's sneer by bringing in on his half-broken mount as many animals as either of his companions on their seasoned cow-p

ral when he heard the bellow of a bull and a shout from Charleton. He spurred the Moose in the direction of the cry. Democrat was standing with the reins over his head. Under a giant pine close

harleton. "Rope his hin

l keep h

ose away and jerked the bull off his feet. Charleton rolled to his own lariat lying on the ground near Democrat. He grasped the rope, ros

on him, Doug, and ho

bull was helpless although he co

he is five miles off," said Dougl

rdered Charleton. "If it's nothing

he high riding-boot was worked off, disclos

Democrat with that. Now t

not deeply. Doug tied the wound up with Charleton's neckerchief. He had just fi

devil are you up to? I want you both to come and help me get

plained th

't you know enough not t

ounded man. "I dropped my rope and when I dismounted t

ouglas will fix it up. We will put plenty of whiskey and hot coffee in y

ad, Scott. You'd be

tt continued with handful after handful until the bull's eyes were only muddy blanks under his tossing forehead. His bellowing ceased. Then Scott removed

en to Douglas, "Get busy with the whiskey and coffee, Doug

was long i

ck?" asked Doug, when

gone over an hour. After you eat, you go

eyes danced with excitement, his tanned cheeks burned as he guided the Moose through the quivering aspens to the

a stampede!" gasped Douglas. "I wouldn't have

pulled up and looked closely at the ground. Single cattle tracks here converged and a herd track led on northward. As he stared at it, the bull ca

ank you?" he shouted. "What have y

roared Douglas. "What

horse of yours would gum the game. There ain't a stee

d Douglas. "You'd bette

ill pull a

othing! Chase

t's your turn to play nurse. Go on bac

h, young fellow

hat and the noon sun gli

s clear blue eyes stud

uess, on third thought

rle

ed. "Now yo

ld up your little brown hands, Scott, till I reach me your gun. Fine! Now ride

rot until they reached the noonday camp.

n?" drawled Scott. "He's mad because I called him fo

n't a better horse in Lost Chief than this same Moose. He was after the

ed Charleton, "What'

pose this fool rode his wild horse into the herd and stampeded it.

When I got there, the herd was gone and I'd jus

ess, sitting easily sidewise in his saddle; Scott, face flushed, eyes angry, standing tense in

up on Democrat and we

he Moose-" began Doug. B

at I believed. As it is, I'm going home. But if I find ei

. They heaved him into his saddle and, with his lariat, arranged a sling for his injured

I think I'll go after a bear I saw in

, Scott!" grun

Charleton," Scott laughed, "so

said Douglas. "

ckly than Scott's. Charleton, his face twisted with

Let him go, Doug," and he

his hip and Scott disappeared at a can

or, Charleton?" demande

t giving hi

e to handle him just now. He never came back to meet you till he'd tur

you were going to

help him bring in some steers. Of course, you and he might be in cahoots on this, but Scott's tricky so I'm givin

ot without a simple dignity that may or may not have im

dare to speak to him until they were nearly home. As they neared the edge of the first line, the ground became tapestried with lilies, yellow, white and crimson. Tree-trunks turned blue against the blue skies that belled over the valley. As they descended, the Forest Reserve lifted gradually, a black g

hurt and resentful, turned the Moose onto the home trail. He had gone almost beyond ha

d. He waved his hand with a gr

ked into the kitchen. His fathe

y, Doug!" ex

d. "Where'

of course! She won't be home till late. I h

sick. She's harder

lly and went out to fin

nd told the story of t

t," exclaimed John. "Serves him right. I s

ind of suspicious of me,

lf." John pitched down a forkful of hay. "Ha

e you worrie

s with you, why worry? We'd ought to let Y

ers as he spoke. He was still very thin and his clothes hung

t, boy,"

uched his pillow he dropped into dreamless slumber from which he did not wak

away with that with your mother but not with me. It w

n't that late," prot

up one of your fool li

it was. What excu

d, answered demurely, "I was out on business, Dad. And I'm

"Aw, let her keep her secret, Dad! I don't th

ust knew what I have done, you'd respect me. Anyway, Doug, I k

u that?" gri

et after Doug like you do after me? What

ing on Fire Mesa?" asked John, all a

ring the rest of the day. Not until twilight had settled in the valley did Douglas find her alone. Then, searching for her, h

her. "I didn't mean to

st trying to s

nk my stunts never amo

't help being anxious, can I, when a girl li

use!" returned Judith. "Now admit, Doug, that you

w it could be anythin

f I don't tell some one, I'll burst. Give me your word

l die before

don't you! All right, m

ing Scott Pars

as ga

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 rid

motions that for a time he was speechless. Finally, f

girl, running cattle and with a confessed mur

ng heavens. "He won't even give me credit for b

be ashamed of yourself, stealing cattle

what you say, Doug Spenc

l. You aren

that! If it's so smart for you to do

e good. If she isn't good in a cattle coun

on't set us women an exa

y to keep y

erful exampl

he women have to be good. The men want 'em to be, no matter how hard they try to make

plumb loco and

as a dead rabbit

'm as cold as fire!" And suddenly she put her

d drew her head to his shoulder. "O Jude! Don't! If I coul

Judith. "How'd you like to be asked to give up

a regular girl oughtn't t

and hunting by moonlight and getting away with somebody else's cattle and all of it. I love i

upset his equilibrium, and in the second place he was overwhelmed with a sudden conscio

good not drinking or stealing or being loose

" asked Judith,

man to be good?

nsity in her young voice. "I want his strength to be

you rea

I real

ath. "Judith, would you

re wo

ith, so help me

or twice, but said nothing. Then the tense moment past, she asked, "H

"But I want you to promise me one thing. That

you'll promise me," re

ent with a man,"

mised about

mething personal between you a

don't promise

ise, Jude. Ho

. "You are a goose, Doug, but I sur

of the stars. Finally he said aloud, "I wish there was somebody a fellow could talk to that knows things. I w

, pitchfork on shoulder. "Who are

" replied Douglas, rising and fo