Judith of the Godless Valley

heaven I'd ask nothing more of

eton's

was a heavy winter and game was plentiful, with pelts of exceptionally fine quality for which there was a good market in St. Louis. Douglas worked hard and bega

f the winter's work, the important result really lay in the deepening it

and for the black shadows that crept up and down their tremendous flanks, were separated from each other by a long, narrow, slowly rising valley. Down this valley rushed a tiny brook whose murmur the bitterest weather could

that he never could come back again, that the pain of living in the same house with Judith in her girlish indifference was to be endured no longer. The primitive intimacy in which the family dwelt made every hour at home a sort of torture to him, a tortu

ith; though she perfumed all his thoughts. For the most part he pondered on the blank mystery of life and on the enigma of love, which to him seemed far more productive of pain than of joy. Little by little, he found himself eager to get into the hills. Quite consciously he left the r

he alkaline dust that followed the birds into the Reserve; and then again, frost laid waste the struggling gardens of high

g. He and his father spent the bitter storm-swept days fighting to save their stock. By March they were cutting young aspens and hauling them to the famished herds to nibble. Coyotes moved brazenly by day across the home fields, stealing refuse from the very door-yards. Eagles perched o

ys at his best when great physical demands were being made upon him, came through the winter better than Douglas, whose profound restlessness was beginning to tell even on hi

d seen too much of Judith, had been too deeply perplexed by his own relation to life. He resolved tha

our saddle horses. On the tail-board of the wagon were a bale of alfalfa and several

. All day long, they pushed north, over the hills, each hill and valley lower than the last. When they made their night camp, the snows were gone. The next day, too, they pursued ever-dropping trails, that disappeared toward noon, leaving Charleton to find his way through barren hills that were criss-crossed only by antelope and coyote track

had finished breakfast and were riding up into the rolling hills to the west. Brown hills against a pale blue morn

y will be awful soft after such a winter. Don't get side-tracked from one horse to another. They'd kil

sage-brush which covered the hillside. When he was within a hundred yards of the herd, he paused. There were fifteen horses, of every kind and color. Douglas selected a jet black m

h thundering hoofs. For some moments, the Moose sought to turn hither and yon as different horses flashed across his vision. But Doug held him to th

, jumping rock heaps, until little by little she drew ahead of the Moose until she became no larger than a black coyote against the yel

rceptibly. In less than a half-hour Doug was within roping distance of her. As the lariat sung above her head, she half turned, gave Doug a look of anguished surprise, leaped side

are had been swallowed up by the earth when he found her trail, turning up the south wall. He spurred the Moose upward, and there in a clump of cedars he found her hiding. With a laugh he again twirled his rope and it slipped over th

tarted a fire in the little cook-stove. He came out and examined the

t believe she's over four y

er hoofs, I'd say she'd

id you have

wore my horse out. I know where he's bedding down

t him," sa

coffee, Doug. The biscuits are baking. I could eat one of Sister's coyotes

n the plains when he made the decision to turn campward. To the distant south, in the Lost Chief ranges, a snowstorm was raging; but Pard and Douglas were dripping with sweat, under a sweltering sun. Strange, thimble-shaped green hills, dotted the plains about them. Douglas drew up at the base of one of these

was grunting now, but Douglas rowelled him and pushed on until he saw the antelope kneeling in the lee of an outc

you home alive to J

s, dragging it from its futile sanctuary. Then he dismounted and removed the lariat. The antelo

ourse I'm sorry venison is out of season, but a man must eat!" He put his gun to the delicate head, and an hour later Pard

that he was well within sheep country. He followed the tinkle and came shortly to a wide draw where moved a mighty gray mass of sheep. The herder, on a bay horse, responded to Doug's halloo with a wa

ried. "What are yo

lls and jumper, a black slouch hat

of me, young man. I do

to tell you I sure-gawd was ashamed of myself. I was the kid

et as he studied the y

ve that kind of trouble again. Have you eaten? I'm late about

nd don't plan to eat till I get back t

ad with me," sugg

ou. I don't mind if I d

ok with one of w

which perched on the peak of a hill above the draw. "I don't

hesitated, then said, "Beans are good and the sheep-man's staple." He followed in

sked Doug, "why you are her

ld take me away from men and their accursed ways. There was something about sheep-herding that made

throat. "How long

ple of

ouldn't earn a li

unfaith," repl

we could have set our teeth in, we'd have listened to you. I remember distinctly, I sat down in the back of the room, saying to myself, 'Now if this ol

the stove, straightened himself, an

at a fellow has hard work to understand." Mr. Fowler gasped. "Now wait a moment," protested Douglas. "Don't get mad and throw me o

shone in the clergyman's eyes. "Talk on, my boy! I too am

you kn

stars, the universe, throu

rything came out of a fire mist. How do you know it was a mind made that fire mist? Why couldn't it have been a-a-C

d give us understanding," he said. Then he served Doug and sat staring thought

es

he lov

t I can

t you love her?" p

told h

"love isn't something yo

she beli

Mr. Fowler, if God once convinced me He was real, I'd believ

verse is

what people want you to prove to them is that there is a hereafter? That's all there is to your job. Prove that and you can lead us round by th

th Lost Chief?" Mr. F

no ethics. Inez Rodman says it's that

w Canyon! If there were a minister in Lo

on doesn't seem to affec

have built a church alo

the kind of Bible stuff

thinking kind of

the Bible, Douglas?

you tell me it's the actual word of God and show me a picture of God in long white whiskers and a white robe, why you ca

d. "Douglas, you

religious guy. I'm of New England stock and they all d

all you have read and thought, for God says that unless we become as little children, we cannot b

r rumpled, his clear eyes, with the sun wrinkles in the c

ith," he rep

ped before the open door. "I've been trailing you for two hours. I got three horses penne

te of grub, Falkner,"

the saddle and dismounted. Douglas, who had finished hi

you and Doug eating tog

a swift kick," agreed Dou

it?" asked Mr. Fowler, pouri

tality, anyhow,"

it Fowler lives up to

ug

g rider in surprise. "What's

ish I had the same

herd the sheep?"

have peace," r

ant of peace? Anybody that can't f

tion at Charleton for interrupting his talk with Fowler

man can hope to get. A poke of salt and a gun on your saddle, a blanket tied behind, a good horse under you,

lways said before,

ot," laughed Charleton. "But since you mentioned

Douglas, who again grunted indif

partners, Falkner?"

re you herding sheep, F

man. I'm herding because I co

. "The day of th

oured beans, Douglas smoked, and the preache

do you think something is the m

breed, a girl like Judith couldn't run with a girl like Inez and be considered decent. And a couple like Jimmy and Little Marion couldn't

y red. "Who told you that?"

ow, as Jude said once, a girl has about as much chance of staying straight in Lost Chief as a cottontail has with a coyote pack. She's good because, well, because she's Ju

you'll regret it,"

nce not at all assumed. "Little Marion is a peach of a girl. She

ine baby and a

there isn't a finer bunch of girls than ours in the world, for looks and nerve and smartness. Peter says

manner and voice that the red died out of Charleton's f

heir looks and in every way, until the Greek women got promiscuous. That as soon as that happened the race b

u, Douglas?" as

to Jimmy and Little Marion, they aren't doing the right thing by Lost Chief, and"-rising with sudden r

. "We'd better b

that hunger. And religion is God's answer to that hunger. Civilization without religion is the body without a soul. Religion brings a spiritual peace that man perpetually craves and

w can I believe in it

rle

eliberately. "No foul-minded man ever yet

feet. "What do you mean,

ore dirt from you than I bet Judith ever has from Inez. Come

ry with me, Falkner. If I called you fou

ed to you for the meal." He swung out of the wagon

re-hobbling them, there was no opportunity to discuss the visit with the preacher sheep-herder. Nor did Douglas wish to bring the matter up when, long after dark, they sat

dith would come out with him to call on the preacher. He thought it highly improbable. And then he thought of Peter and what Peter might have said that day had he and not Charleton interrupted Doug and t

ith the schoolhouse," he said to himself. "Maybe it

n into the open. It was a frosty, star-lit night. The river rushed like black oil, silver cakes of ice grinding above the roar of the current. The Moose w

as banging on the door fra

ied to the preacher's startled query. "I

e in! Come in! Light the fire while I pull my boots on. This i

w into sharp relief the firm set of his lips. His six-shooter banged on the bench as he sat down and put one spurred boot on the h

when I was twenty-one. If I build you a little church on it, will you come t

utable. "Why do you wan

ug's voice thickened.

d to sav

e about

ligion and yet I have a feeling that you are the right kind. Judith! She's twenty-one now. I'm six foot one. She's about two inches shorter. Weighs, I guess, fifty pounds lighter. Finest gray eyes you ev

as pa

tive. What's the troubl

Rodman is. Well, she is Jude's best friend! And she has

y Judith is

? She's restless and discontented and

er any influe

e at

father?" aske

r foster-father. She lik

ly couldn'

there is no hope i

ith about as much influence over Jude as a kitten. Judith hasn't any one to ti

she care

ther she hated me. I'd as soon have a dish of

ink I could in

want to live anywhere else. And I'd like to see it the kind of a place my grandfather Douglas wa

ctionate in the preacher's deep

e are of New England stock. There is no more intelligent stock in America, nor stock that is more conceited, more narrow, more obstinate, nor more ruthless. And the farther a Ne

"I guess you are right," finally; "nothing makes Lost Chief folks so mad as to have some one hint they aren't pe

g isn't in my hands. If ever the Almighty showed Himself a directing force, He is showing it here. This i

e, I think. I don't

place to repent you, though

ing truth!" he exclaimed unevenly. "Not that I've got anything to repent-" he hesitated. "What

apes our ends, rough hew them as we will.' That's what

be best. Suppose we say

u on the twentie

I can then give my

ll you want,

e me. We'll arrange that after

have let myself in for something now," he s

ned the preacher, smiling into

n Douglas at dawn lay down beside hi