。 。 。 The little ones？〃
No one was in sight around the ranch。 Never had it appeared more
peaceful and pastoral to Jean。 The grazing cattle and horses in the
foreground； the haystack half eaten away； the cows in the fenced
pasture； the column of blue smoke lazily ascending； the cackle of
hens； the solid； well…built cabinsall these seemed to repudiate
Jean's haste and his darkness of mind。 This place was； his father's
farm。 There was not a cloud in the blue； summer sky。
As Jean galloped up the lane some one saw him from the door； and
then Bill and Guy and their gray…headed father came out upon the porch。
Jean saw how he' waved the womenfolk back； and then strode out into
the lane。 Bill and Guy reached his side as Jean pulled his heaving
horse to a halt。 They all looked at Jean； swiftly and intently； with
a little； hard； fiery gleam strangely identical in the eyes of each。
Probably before a word was spoken they knew what to expect。
〃Wal； you shore was in a hurry；〃 remarked the father。
〃What the hell's up？〃 queried Bill； grimly。
Guy Isbel remained silent and it was he who turned slightly pale。
Jean leaped off his horse。
〃Bernardino has just been killedmurdered with his own gun。
Gaston Isbel seemed to exhale a long…dammed； bursting breath that
let his chest sag。 A terrible deadly glint； pale and cold as
sunlight on ice； grew slowly to dominate his clear eyes。
〃A…huh！〃 ejaculated Bill Isbel； hoarsely。
Not one of the three men asked who had done the killing。 They were
silent a moment； motionless； locked in the secret seclusion of their
own minds。 Then they listened with absorption to Jean's brief story。
〃Wal； that lets us in；〃 said his father。 〃I wish we had more time。
Reckon I'd done better to listen to you boys an' have my men close
at hand。 Jacobs happened to ride over。 That makes five of us besides
the women。〃
〃Aw； dad； you don't reckon they'll round us up heah？〃 asked Guy Isbel。
〃Boys； I always feared they might；〃 replied the old man。 〃But I never
really believed they'd have the nerve。 Shore I ought to have figgered
Daggs better。 This heah secret bizness an' shootin' at us from ambush
looked aboot Jorth's size to me。 But I reckon now we'll have to fight
without our friends。〃
〃Let them come；〃 said Jean。 〃I sent for Blaisdell； Blue； Gordon； and
Fredericks。 Maybe they'll get here in time。 But if they don't it
needn't worry us much。 We can hold out here longer than Jorth's gang
can hang around。 We'll want plenty of water； wood； and meat in the house。〃
〃Wal； I'll see to that；〃 rejoined his father。 〃Jean； you go out close
by； where you can see all around； an' keep watch。〃
〃Who's goin' to tell the women？〃 asked Guy Isbel。
The silence that momentarily ensued was an eloquent testimony to the
hardest and saddest aspect of this strife between men。 The
inevitableness of it in no wise detracted from its sheer uselessness。
Men from time immemorial had hated； and killed one another； always to
the misery and degradation of their women。 Old Gaston Isbel showed
this tragic realization in his lined face。
〃Wal； boys； I'll tell the women；〃 he said。 〃Shore you needn't worry
none aboot them。 They'll be game。〃
Jean rode away to an open knoll a short distance from the house；
and here he stationed himself to watch all points。 The cedared
ridge back of the ranch was the one approach by which Jorth's gang
might come close without being detected； but even so； Jean could see
them and ride to the house in time to prevent a surprise。 The moments
dragged by； and at the end of an hour Jean was in hopes that Blaisdell
would soon come。 These hopes were well founded。 Presently he heard a
clatter of hoofs on hard ground to the south； and upon wheeling to look
he saw the friendly neighbor coming fast along the road； riding a big
white horse。 Blaisdell carried a rifle in his hand； and the sight of
him gave Jean a glow of warmth。 He was one of the Texans who would
stand by the Isbels to the last man。 Jean watched him ride to the
housewatched the meeting between him and his lifelong friend。
There floated out to Jean old Blaisdell's roar of rage。
Then out on the green of Grass Valley； where a long； swelling plain
swept away toward the village； there appeared a moving dark patch。
A bunch of horses！ Jean's body gave a slight startthe shock of
sudden propulsion of blood through all his veins。 Those horses bore
riders。 They were coming straight down the open valley； on the wagon
road to Isbel's ranch。 No subterfuge nor secrecy nor sneaking in that
advance！ A hot thrill ran over Jean。
〃By Heaven！ They mean business！〃 he muttered。 Up to the last moment
he had unconsciously hoped Jorth's gang would not come boldly like that。
The verifications of all a Texan's inherited instincts left no doubts；
no hopes； no illusionsonly a grim certainty that this was not
conjecture nor probability； but fact。 For a moment longer Jean
watched the slowly moving dark patch of horsemen against the green
background； then he hurried back to the ranch。 His father saw him
comingstrode out as before。
〃DadJorth is comin'；〃 said Jean； huskily。 How he hated to be forced
to tell his father that！ The boyish love of old had flashed up。
〃Whar？〃 demanded the old man； his eagle gaze sweeping the horizon。
〃Down the road from Grass Valley。 You can't see from here。〃
〃Wal； come in an' let's get ready。〃
Isbel's house had not been constructed with the idea of repelling an
attack from a band of Apaches。 The long living room of the main cabin
was the one selected for defense and protection。 This room had two
windows and a door facing the lane； and a door at each end； one of
which opened into the kitchen and the other into an adjoining and
later…built cabin。 The logs of this main cabin were of large size；
and the doors and window coverings were heavy； affording safer
protection from bullets than the other cabins。
When Jean went in he seemed to see a host of white faces lifted to him。
His sister Ann； his two sisters…in…law； the children； all mutely watched
him with eyes that would haunt him。
〃Wal； Blaisdell； Jean says Jorth an' his precious gang of rustlers are
on the way heah；〃 announced the rancher。
〃Damn me if it's not a bad day fer Lee Jorth！ 〃 declared Blaisdell。
〃Clear off that table；〃 ordered Isbel； 〃an' fetch out all the guns
an' shells we got。〃
Once laid upon the table these presented a formidable arsenal； which
consisted of the three new 。44 Winchesters that Jean had brought with
him from the coast； the enormous buffalo； or so…called 〃needle〃 gun；
that Gaston Isbel had used for years； a Henry rifle which Blaisdell
had brought； and half a dozen six…shooters。 Piles and packages of
ammunition littered the table。
〃Sort out these heah shells；〃 said Isbel。 〃Everybody wants to get
hold of his own。〃
Jacobs； the neighbor who was present； was a thick…set； bearded man；
rather jovial among those lean…jawed Texans。 He carried a 。44 rifle
of an old pattern。 〃Wal； boys； if I'd knowed we was in fer some fun
I'd hev fetched more shells。 Only got one magazine full。 Mebbe them
new 。44's will fit my gun。〃
It was discovered that the ammunition Jean had brought in quantity
fitted Jacob's rifle； a fact which afforded peculiar satisfaction
to all the men present。
〃Wal； shore we're lucky；〃 declared Gaston Isbel。
The women sat apart； in the comer toward the kitchen； and there seemed
to be a strange fascination for them in the talk and action of the men。
The wife of Jacobs was a little woman； with homely face and very bright
eyes。 Jean thought she would be a help in that household during the
next doubtful hours。
Every moment Jean would go to the window and peer out down the road。
His companions evidently relied upon him； for no one else looked out。
Now that the suspense of days and weeks was over； these Texans faced
the issue with talk and act not noticeably different from those of
ordinary moments。
At last Jean espied the dark mass of horsemen out in the valley road。
They were close together； walking their mounts； and evidently in earnest
conversation。 After several ineffectual attempts Jean counted eleven
horses； every one of which he was sure bore a rider。
〃Dad； look out！〃 called Jean。
Gaston Isbel strode to the door and stood looking； without a word。
The other men crowded to the windows。 Blaisdell cursed under his
breath。 Jacobs said： 〃By Golly！ Come to pay us a call！〃 The women
sat motionless； with dark； strained eyes。 The children ceased their
play and looked fearfully to their mother。
When just out of rifle shot of the cabins the band of horsemen halted
and lined up in a half circle； all facing the ranch。 They were close
enough for Jean to see their gestures； but he could not recognize any
of their faces。 It struck him singularly that not one of them wore
a mask。
〃Jean； do you know any of them？〃 asked his father
〃No； not yet。 They're too far off。〃
〃Dad； I'll get your old telescope；〃 said Guy Isbel； and he ran out
toward the adjoining cabin。
Blaisdell shook his big； hoary head and rumbled out of his bull…like
neck； 〃Wal； now you're heah； you sheep