The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1906-01-10
Judith of the Plains
Continued fIon Pod page.

place. She had never been there as
yet. And. IL Peter knew, doubtless ev'
cry cattleman in the country knew.
What fool she had been with her talk
Of meeting Tom Lorimer! A sense OF
utter defeat seemed to paralyze her
energies. Physical WEAKNESS was tell.
ing ON her. She had been In the sad
die since a little past noon. and 1t was
now not far from midnight. And still
there was the unanswered question OF
Peters errand. II was long since Ell.
Their had broken the silence. A delicious
GOODNESS had crept into the air with the
approach of midnight. Judith. breath
Ing deep drafts Of 1t, reminded herself
Of the stoicism that was hers by birth
right.
"Pcter"-her voice lost some Of Its
old ring, but II had deeper note
Peter, we make strange comrades,
you and |, in stranger world. We
meet on Horse Thief trail, and there
is reason to suppose that our errands
are inimical You've pierced all my
little pretenscs. You know that | am
going to my brother, who Is an outlaw
my brother, the rope for whose hang
ing Is already cut. And yet we have
been friends these many years, and
we meet in this world of desolation
and weigh each others words, and
there is no trust in our hearts. Our lit
tie faith Is more pitiful than the cruel
errands that bring us. l take it you,
too, are going to my brother's?"
I'm going there to see that you ar
rive safe and sound. but I had no in
tention OF going when | left camp.
You've brought me good twenty miles
out of my way, not to mention accus-
Ing me OF Interior motives. Now aren't
you penitentY He smiled at her, boy
lsh and irresistible To Judith It was
more reassuring than an oath. IT'S
like dogs fighting over picked bone;
the meats all gone. The range IL over
worked: It needs good long rest" He
turned toward Judith. speaking slowly
what you have said Is true. We're
friends before we're partisans Of either
faction. I'm on my way to n roundup.
There's been an unexpected order to
MI beef contract-a thousand steers
We're going to furnish 500. the XXX
$50 and the Circle Star $50. Men have
been securing the cnemy's country for
days rounding MP stragglers. Ii will!
go hard with the rustlcrs after this
roundup, Judith"
She felt Il great wave Of penitence
not trusted him; in her heart she had
nourished hideous suspicious Of him.
and he was telling her. quite simply.
of the plans of his own faction, trust
ing her. as. indeed. he might, but as
she never expected to be trusted.
Peter. do you know that sometimes
think Jim has gone quite mad with
these range troubles: He's acted
strangely ever since his sheep were
driven over the cliff. He's not been
home to Aida and the children since
he has been out Of jail. and you know
how devoted to them he has always
been. He spends all his time tracking
Simpson. Aida wrote me that she ex-
poets him tonight, and I'm going there
on the chance"
ITS the devils own hole for desola-
ton that he's come to-" Peter looked,
about the cup shaped valley that was
but cul-de-sac in the mountains. a
lone group of dead cottonwoods grew
nj. DO
Their twisted branches. gaunt and
bare. writhed upward NJ In dumb sup
plcation. There was about them n
something that made Judith come
closer to Peter AS they passed them
Those frightful trees, how can Aida
stand them?" She looked back. "Oh
| wish they were cut down.
Before them was the cabin, its ruined
condition pitlfully apparent even by
night. 1t had been deserted ten years
before Jim brought his family to II
Rumor said II was haunted, Grim
stories were told Of the death of 4
woman who had come there with q
man and had not lived TO go away witt
him. The roof OF the adjoining stable
had fallen in: the bars of the CORA
were missing. The house was darl
but for feeble light that glimmerct
In one window, the beacon that ha'
been lighted, night after night, agains
inns coming.
"Pctcr"-Iudth had slid from he
horse and was clinglng to his arm
when 1t happens, Peter, you will hav
no part In it,
at won't happen, Judith, II l cal
I help IT."
/ She kissed his hand ms II held IN
| loose rclns.
Lord. am not worthy" was IN
| thought in his heart. He snt grave
In the saddle. Sir Knight of the JOS
Gus Heart though he was, the "
sought ilss of trust gifted him with
self reverence that would not soon fo'
sake him,
Judith was rappug on the door un
calling to Aida not to be frightcncl
Aud presently II was opened. Pete
wanted to leave Judith, now that sl
was safely at the end of her journc,
but she wOuld not hear Of 1t TIL 1