the window。 She had done that several times since daybreak。 Jean saw
her somber gaze search the pasture until it rested upon the dark； prone
shape of her dead husband； lying face down in the grass。 Her look
worried Jean。
〃No； Esther； they've not gone yet；〃 replied Jean。 〃I've seen some of
them out there at the edge of the brush。〃
Blaisdell was optimistic。 He said Jean's night work would have its
effect and that the Jorth contingent would not renew the siege very
determinedly。 It turned out； however； that Blaisdell was wrong。
Directly after sunrise they began to pour volleys from four sides
and from closer range。 During the night Jorth's gang had thrown
earth banks and constructed log breastworks； from behind which they
were now firing。 Jean and his comrades could see the flashes of fire
and streaks of smoke to such good advantage that they began to return
the volleys。
In half an hour the cabin was so full of smoke that Jean could not see
the womenfolk in their corner。 The fierce attack then abated somewhat；
and the firing became more intermittent； and therefore more carefully
aimed。 A glancing bullet cut a furrow in Blaisdell's hoary head；
making a painful； though not serious wound。 It was Esther Isbel who
stopped the flow of blood and bound Blaisdell's head； a task which
she performed skillfully and without a tremor。 The old Texan could
not sit still during this operation。 Sight of the blood on his hands；
which he tried to rub off； appeared to inflame him to a great degree。
〃Isbel； we got to go out thar；〃 he kept repeating； 〃an' kill them all。〃
〃No； we're goin' to stay heah；〃 replied Gaston Isbel。 〃Shore I'm
lookin' for Blue an' Fredericks an' Gordon to open up out there。
They ought to be heah； an' if they are y'u shore can bet they've
got the fight sized up。 〃
Isbel's hopes did not materialize。 The shooting continued without
any lull until about midday。 Then the Jorth faction stopped。
〃Wal； now what's up？〃 queried Isbel。 〃Boys； hold your fire an'
let's wait。〃
Gradually the smoke wafted out of the windows and doors； until the
room was once more clear。 And at this juncture Esther Isbel came
over to take another gaze out upon the meadows。 Jean saw her suddenly
start violently； then stiffen； with a trembling hand outstretched。
〃Look！〃 she cried。
〃Esther； get back；〃 ordered the old rancher。 〃Keep away from that
window。〃
〃What the hell！〃 muttered Blaisdell。 〃She sees somethin'； or she's
gone dotty。〃
Esther seemed turned to stone。 〃Look！ The hogs have broken into
the pasture！ 。 。 。 They'll eat Guy's body！〃
Everyone was frozen with horror at Esther's statement。 Jean took a
swift survey of the pasture。 A bunch of big black hogs had indeed
appeared on the scene and were rooting around in the grass not far
from where lay the bodies of Guy Isbel and Jacobs。 This herd of hogs
belonged to the rancher and was allowed to run wild。
〃Jane； those hogs〃 stammered Esther Isbel； to the wife of Jacobs。
〃Come！ Look！ 。 。 。 Do y'u know anythin' about hogs？〃
The woman ran to the window and looked out。 She stiffened as had Esther。
〃Dad； will those hogseat human flesh？ 〃 queried Jean； breathlessly。
The old man stared out of the window。 Surprise seemed to hold him。
A completely unexpected situation had staggered him。
〃Jeancan youcan you shoot that far？〃 he asked； huskily。
〃To those hogs？ No； it's out of range。〃
Then； by God； we've got to stay trapped in heah an' watch an awful
sight；〃 ejaculated the old man； completely unnerved。 〃See that break
in the fence！ 。 。 Jorth's done that。 。 。 。 To let in the hogs！〃
〃Aw； Isbel； it's not so bad as all that；〃 remonstrated Blaisdell；
wagging his bloody head。 〃Jorth wouldn't do such a hell…bent trick。〃
〃It's shore done。〃
〃Wal； mebbe the hogs won't find Guy an' Jacobs；〃 returned Blaisdell；
weakly。 Plain it was that he only hoped for such a contingency and
certainly doubted it。
〃Look！〃 cried Esther Isbel； piercingly。 They're workin' straight up
the pasture！〃
Indeed； to Jean it appeared to be the fatal truth。 He looked blankly；
feeling a little sick。 Ann Isbel came to peer out of the window and
she uttered a cry。 Jacobs's wife stood mute； as if dazed。
Blaisdell swore a mighty oath。 〃 ！ Isbel； we cain't stand
heah an' watch them hogs eat our people！〃
〃Wal； we'll have to。 What else on earth can we do？〃
Esther turned to the men。 She was white and cold； except her eyes；
which resembled gray flames。
〃Somebody can run out there an' bury our dead men；〃 she said。
〃Why； child； it'd be shore death。 Y'u saw what happened to Guy an'
Jacobs。 。 。 。 We've jest got to bear it。 Shore nobody needn't look
outan' see。〃
Jean wondered if it would be possible to keep from watching。 The
thing had a horrible fascination。 The big hogs were rooting and
tearing in the grass； some of them lazy； others nimble； and all were
gradually working closer and closer to the bodies。 The leader； a huge；
gaunt boar； that had fared ill all his life in this barren country； was
scarcely fifty feet away from where Guy Isbel lay。
〃Ann； get me some of your clothes； an' a sunbonnetquick；〃 said Jean；
forced out of his lethargy。 〃I'll run out there disguised。 Maybe I
can go through with it。〃
〃No！〃 ordered his father； positively； and with dark face flaming。
〃Guy an' Jacobs are dead。 We cain't help them now。〃
〃But； dad〃 pleaded Jean。 He had been wrought to a pitch by Esther's
blaze of passion； by the agony in the face of the other woman。
〃I tell y'u no！〃 thundered Gaston Isbel； flinging his arms wide。
〃I WILL GO！〃 cried Esther； her voice ringing。
〃You won't go alone！〃 instantly answered the wife of Jacobs； repeating
unconsciously the words her husband had spoken。
〃You stay right heah；〃 shouted Gaston Isbel； hoarsely。
〃I'm goin'；〃 replied Esther。 〃You've no hold over me。 My husband is
dead。 No one can stop me。 I'm goin' out there to drive those hogs
away an' bury him。〃
〃Esther； for Heaven's sake； listen；〃 replied Isbel。 〃If y'u show
yourself outside； Jorth an' his gang will kin y'u。〃
〃They may be mean； but no white men could be so low as that。〃
Then they pleaded with her to give up her purpose。 But in vain！
She pushed them back and ran out through the kitchen with Jacobs's
wife following her。 Jean turned to the window in time to see both
women run out into the lane。 Jean looked fearfully； and listened
for shots。 But only a loud； 〃Haw！ Haw！〃 came from the watchers
outside。 That coarse laugh relieved the tension in Jean's breast。
Possibly the Jorths were not as black as his father painted them。
The two women entered an open shed and came forth with a shovel
and spade。
〃Shore they've got to hurry；〃 burst out Gaston Isbel。
Shifting his gaze； Jean understood the import of his father's speech。
The leader of the hogs had no doubt scented the bodies。 Suddenly he
espied them and broke into a trot。
〃Run； Esther； run！〃 yelled Jean； with all his might。
That urged the women to flight。 Jean began to shoot。 The hog reached
the body of Guy。 Jean's shots did not reach nor frighten the beast。
All the hogs now had caught a scent and went ambling toward their
leader。 Esther and her companion passed swiftly out of sight behind
a corral。 Loud and piercingly； with some awful note； rang out their
screams。 The hogs appeared frightened。 The leader lifted his long
snout； looked； and turned away。 The others had halted。 Then they；
too； wheeled and ran off。
All was silent then in the cabin and also outside wherever the Jorth
faction lay concealed。 All eyes manifestly were fixed upon the brave
wives。 They spaded up the sod and dug a grave for Guy Isbel。 For a
shroud Esther wrapped him in her shawl。 Then they buried him。 Next
they hurried to the side of Jacobs； who lay some yards away。 They
dug a grave for him。 Mrs。 Jacobs took off her outer skirt to wrap
round him。 Then the two women labored hard to lift him and lower him。
Jacobs was a heavy man。 When he had been covered his widow knelt
beside his grave。 Esther went back to the other。 But she remained
standing and did not look as if she prayed。 Her aspect was tragic
that of a woman who had lost father； mother； sisters； brother； and now
her husband； in this bloody Arizona land。
The deed and the demeanor of these wives of the murdered men surely
must have shamed Jorth and his followers。 They did not fire a shot
during the ordeal nor give any sign of their presence。
Inside the cabin all were silent； too。 Jean's eyes blurred so that he
continually had to wipe them。 Old Isbel made no effort to hide his
tears。 Blaisdell nodded his shaggy head and swallowed hard。 The
women sat staring into space。 The children； in round…eyed dismay；
gazed from one to the other of their elders。
〃Wal； they're comin' back；〃 declared Isbel； in immense relief。
〃An' so help meJorth let them bury their daid！〃
The fact seemed to have been monstrously strange to Gaston Isbel。
When the women entered the old man said； brokenly： 〃I'm shore glad。
。 。 。 An' I reckon I was wrong to oppose you 。 。 。 an' wrong to say
what I did aboot Jorth。〃
No one had any chance to