Judith of the Godless Valley

thoroughbred, she doesn't e

y Sp

he bed, chin in palm. Peter was not to be seen. Douglas stared at the

"it's been a long

n sitting here thinking

t summer. Now you look l

lf. Jude, you're going

ou and Scott agree

don't see how you c

s man," said J

n't s

e first thing, Douglas.

ou know that she is e

bluntly. "They sure make a good-look

with his herd. Judith, Charleton

," said Judith succinctly. "He's the wors

ter say

to waste on Charleton. What has

Jude. He really got me to the point this winter where I felt as if marriage was wrong. But do you know, when the boy was bor

ind for some time, then shook her head. "I give it up. I can't understand men at a

understand, how much more so were women, particularl

ean that, Jud

arried. Just look at the couples

m! What's the trou

any more. That's all!" Judit

How do y

rs and studied about it. There is

ting and quoting love po

say there's no such thing as love. But I do know

ed as if her brain glowed too, and her lips were so full of meanings, too changing and too

repeated dreamily. "It's as if love was too de

why?" sa

And I get tired of my own mother, bless her dear old heart, and I love her to death. But she's my mother and I can't

ou do about love

in a low voice. "Keep it forever. Never murder it by marriag

on the one hand and like a baby on the other. What will you do, marry without

e was derisive. "Do you ca

d and cl

do that. The kind of parents kids need are the ones that will answer yo

Doug shook his head. "I don't know how things would go along without marriage. Just you wait u

m with Ine

ne

living than all the women in this val

t are some of Inez'

it isn't fair to put the curse of marriage on parents. And she says her way isn't the answer, eit

d Douglas asked, "Say, now list

ve right now but she

tell you they know life. They're exactly like the rest of us under their skins. I'm getting to believe that

that the only way to be happy is to k

d Douglas crossly, "but I hav

ut you never will until

rt aching because

is sure is a lovely country to me. And I want my children's children to have this valley and hold it till the very bones of their bodies are made out of the d

s with astonishment not

sturdily to her o

any beautiful marr

"No, I don't! But," with new firmness, "that's not saying I

you are cleverer

g within him that suddenly told him that his fate was to bring to Lost Chief the

d softly, "Judith, w

rsonal glance. "I'm not sure," she answered sl

Chief that could give you ideas exc

st?" Judith waggled one foo

She has brain and

t. I wouldn't care what her age was if she could just see things the way they

here'd you read that? It sure

s denied a retort, for Peter

help hearing while I was sorting mail. What do you mean by thinking such thoughts, Judi

e only woman in Lost Chief who can talk about anything but babies

rn or two up an

iking her," he said, "as I do to

udith. "What I want you old people to do is to show me by example how practical and true all these fine

is in Limbo, Judith, with the rest of my dreams. As

" gaspe

most useful part of my life. Heaven knows, children, I'm not of

r?" asked Jude wi

oom before coming to pa

a pattern. Disagree with his creed as you might, the right kind of a preacher in here could answer your questions as

but I don't see why you should expect us to

boy I went to church on Sunday morning with my mother and that there was an old vicar

ieve what he said

f up with a sudden expression of disgust. "Faugh! How like a fool I'm tal

really is?" said J

's seen better days. He sure has suf

bout life that he do

d to touch Judith's knee with infinite tenderness. "Couldn't you manag

at was womanly and soft as she answered, "O my dear, you don't

am an unchanging sort of a cha

hat you are promising. You can't force l

udith! Try

parted, eyes sad. "Douglas,

remoteness in Judith's expression, a look of honest fear that had no respo

taring at each other

n preparations at once for carrying out Doug's sentence and for a time the post-office and the west trail to Inez' place saw him most infrequ

both riders and horses, knows the picturesque patois of the sand corral. But

could not enter the Fourth of July rodeo until she was at least sixteen. But now, at sixteen, Judith asked perm

d but still sturdy enough to withstand the swaying and stamping of the crowd. Neither the Browns nor any other of the Lost Chief families made money out of the exhibition. It was a community aff

nd urge of the Rockies at seven thousand feet, this was the day of the rodeo. The exhi

. Judith rapidly eliminated all the women contestants and then began to vie with the men in the riding of buckers. By four o'clock as one of the four best riders, bar none, she was ready to enter the

curls were bundled up under a sombrero. She wore a man's silk shirt with a soft collar. It was of the color of the sky. Her khaki divided skirt came just below the knee, meeting a pair of high-heeled riding-boots. Her ga

th waited for Peter to come up on Yankee. Douglas,

d on foot with a bull isn't a cowman. It's a life and

reins over Buster's head and turned to face the bull. Peter jerked the blindfold from the bull's eyes. The great creature lifted his head and Pet

embling. On came Sioux, his hoofs rocking the echoes, and with every apparent intention of goring his mistress. But ten feet from Judith he pulled up with a jerk and with stiffened fore legs

audience a unique exhibition of "follow your leader." Buster trotted, galloped, and backed. Sioux imitated him without protest, until Judith brought up before the grandstand with both animals kneeling on their fore legs, noses to the san

" he said, "I ask y

Then get on Buster and r

did not move. When Peter nodded, Judith jerked the blindfold free and leaped into the saddle. Sioux brought his mighty fore legs together and leaped into the air. Peter hesitated a fraction of a minute before putting his fo

l's flanks, at the same time whistling shrilly. But Sioux was now out on his own. He overtook Buster half-way down the corral and thrust a wicked horn a

as if she were a rag and gave his full attention to Sister. Judith picked herself up, rushed to the still plunging Buster and jerked Peter's foot from the stirrup. She ran to the blindfold lying in the sand a short distance away, then whis

t follow the motion, she had wrapped the blindfold over the burning eyes. As the bull stopped confused and trembling she hobbled his fore-legs to hi

d was wiping the s

cried Judith. "She'l

shake of his head for the audience, he trotted from the corral. Judit

blindfold, Dou

ed Douglas succinctly.

ore I tak

to the grandstand," said

wisted his lariat. It coiled round one of the bull'

ve put up the real show of the day. Be satisfie

of the judges, now trot

de

men would do what you're told to do! Peter had to

iat, she led the uneasy bull before the grandstand and made her bow. Jimmy Day brought her

s. There was no hope, they agreed, of competing successfully against Si

er off that Mary might treat his really badly skinned face at the ranch. The ranchers who had come from distant valleys began to scatter toward the Pass. When at last Judith and Do

he called, "how about yo

City, t

t Mountain City was the ultimate and alm

they'd let me i

ed the stranger. "If you are interested, I'll write you d

ess you know just what it means to be

ting car away from the plunging horses and was a receding dot up t

thing I've seen. It's not only what you do but the way you d

'm good enough for Mou

di

r the world!" d

gave her attention

e. His whole face was covered with boric powder. Judith and

looks," he said plaintiv

o ruin wh

my life, honestly, as when yo

urned to his father. "Judith's been asked to ride at the Mountain City r

ied John. "I'm not surpr

de

tough proposition for a youn

and let Mary and Doug run the place for a we

go," said Mary with

?" demanded John. "A mi

h, who was calmly devouring the lavish piece of steak whi

r Dad. And believe me, I am going to buy her th

eye and almost imperce

too," rep

s run the place. If there's a rancher in the State des

r; "and if there's no objection, l

out to the corral. Peter and Douglas lined up on the fence

best rodeo we ever

ly for a moment as he lighted his pipe. "I suppose there are

ts across to people who

th a sort of ease that b

her power over animals

ost Chief. She hasn't

ou mean that?"

it. She hasn't a ch

s voice was irritated. "Talk so a foo

Hello, Judith! I should think yo

side Peter. "I should say no

to give you your fill

anger had disappeare

nless her mother goes

s voice, again! You'd better

ntion of keeping ou

m going to turn down a chance for a real outfit

d help you," i

ld you buy!" j

me get you one of those regular riding suits like Ea

h's voice was doubtful but deeply in

are out of my lin

e her, Dad," pr

snorted Joh

leton. "I'm going home, John, before I get hauled in on a famil

followed Peter into the shed

ed the postmaster. "You've got from now to

ow as well as I do, Peter, that most anybody would sel

it. But you keep ou

ad gets to working on J

lis

John's voice rich and sweet

e dressed, give you the right kind of a horse, and the whole of the rodeo will b

beautiful, Dad?" Judit

Dad? I'm not your

e shed and up to the fen

nk

rrel with you, Dad-"

hing you can't see the

e run my own a

o quarrel with you either. But I'm still master of my own ran

and put his hand o

oug! Go off and thi

he beautiful shadow of Falkner's Peak. The heavens, deep purple and glorious with stars, were very near

randma Brown? No; he had talked to her once and she had failed him. Charleton's wife had failed with her own daughter. There remained Inez Rodman, who knew Judith better than any one else knew her. Inez! Doug's mind dwelt long on this name. But he felt sure that the woman of

n City together. Douglas made no comment. Not that he had any intention of allowing Judith to mak