what I did aboot Jorth。〃
No one had any chance to reply to Isbel； for the Jorth gang； as if
to make up for lost time and surcharged feelings of shame； renewed
the attack with such a persistent and furious volleying that the
defenders did not risk a return shot。 They all had to lie flat next
to the lowest log in order to keep from being hit。 Bullets rained in
through the window。 And all the clay between the logs low down was
shot away。 This fusillade lasted for more than an hour； then gradually
the fire diminished on one side and then on the other until it became
desultory and finally ceased。
〃Ahuh！ Shore they've shot their bolt；〃 declared Gaston Isbel。
〃Wal； I doon't know aboot that；〃 returned Blaisdell； 〃but they've shot
a hell of a lot of shells。〃
〃Listen；〃 suddenly called Jean。 〃Somebody's yellin'。〃
〃Hey； Isbel！〃 came in loud； hoarse voice。 〃Let your women fight
for you。〃
Gaston Isbel sat up with a start and his face turned livid。 Jean
needed no more to prove that the derisive voice from outside had
belonged to Jorth。 The old rancher lunged up to his full height
and with reckless disregard of life he rushed to the window。
〃Jorth；〃 he roared； 〃I dare you to meet meman to man！〃
This elicited no answer。 Jean dragged his father away from the window。
After that a waiting silence ensued； gradually less fraught with
suspense。 Blaisdell started conversation by saying he believed the
fight was over for that particular time。 No one disputed him。
Evidently Gaston Isbel was loath to believe it。 Jean； however；
watching at the back of the kitchen； eventually discovered that the
Jorth gang had lifted the siege。 Jean saw them congregate at the edge
of the brush； somewhat lower down than they had been the day before。
A team of mules； drawing a wagon； appeared on the road； and turned
toward the slope。 Saddled horses were led down out of the junipers。
Jean saw bodies； evidently of dead men； lifted into the wagon； to be
hauled away toward the village。 Seven mounted men； leading four
riderless horses； rode out into the valley and followed the wagon。
〃Dad； they've gone；〃 declared Jean。 〃We had the best of this fight。
。 。 。 If only Guy an' Jacobs had listened！〃
The old man nodded moodily。 He had aged considerably during these two
trying days。 His hair was grayer。 Now that the blaze and glow of the
fight had passed he showed a subtle change； a fixed and morbid sadness；
a resignation to a fate he had accepted。
The ordinary routine of ranch life did not return for the Isbels。
Blaisdell returned home to settle matters there； so that he could
devote all his time to this feud。 Gaston Isbel sat down to wait for
the members of his clan。
The male members of the family kept guard in turn over the ranch that
night。 And another day dawned。 It brought word from Blaisdell that
Blue； Fredericks； Gordon； and Colmor were all at his house； on the way
to join the Isbels。 This news appeared greatly to rejuvenate Gaston
Isbel。 But his enthusiasm did not last long。 Impatient and moody by
turns； he paced or moped around the cabin； always looking out； sometimes
toward Blaisdell's ranch； but mostly toward Grass Valley。
It struck Jean as singular that neither Esther Isbel nor Mrs。 Jacobs
suggested a reburial of their husbands。 The two bereaved women did not
ask for assistance； but repaired to the pasture； and there spent several
hours working over the graves。 They raised mounds； which they sodded；
and then placed stones at the heads and feet。 Lastly； they fenced in
the graves。
〃I reckon I'll hitch up an' drive back home；〃 said Mrs。 Jacobs； when
she returned to the cabin。 〃I've much to do an' plan。 Probably I'll
go to my mother's home。 She's old an' will be glad to have me。〃
〃If I had any place to go to I'd sure go；〃 declared Esther Isbel；
bitterly。
Gaston Isbel heard this remark。 He raised his face from his hands；
evidently both nettled and hurt。
〃Esther； shore that's not kind；〃 he said。
The red…haired womanfor she did not appear to be a girl any more
halted before his chair and gazed down at him； with a terrible flare
of scorn in her gray eyes。
〃Gaston Isbel； all I've got to say to you is this；〃 she retorted； with
the voice of a man。 〃Seein' that you an' Lee Jorth hate each other；
why couldn't you act like men？ 。 。 。 You damned Texans； with your bloody
feuds； draggin' in every relation； every friend to murder each other！
That's not the way of Arizona men。 。 。 。 We've all got to sufferan'
we women be ruined for lifebecause YOU had differences with Jorth。
If you were half a man you'd go out an' kill him yourself； an' not leave
a lot of widows an' orphaned children！〃
Jean himself writhed under the lash of her scorn。 Gaston Isbel turned
a dead white。 He could not。 answer her。 He seemed stricken with
merciless truth。 Slowly dropping his head； he remained motionless；
a pathetic and tragic figure； and he did not stir until the rapid beat
of hoofs denoted the approach of horsemen。 Blaisdell appeared on his
white charger； leading a pack animal。 And behind rode a group of men；
all heavily armed； and likewise with packs。
〃Get down an' come in；〃 was Isbel's greeting。 〃Billyou look after
their packs。 Better leave the hosses saddled。〃
The booted and spurred riders trooped in； and their demeanor fitted
their errand。 Jean was acquainted with all of them。 Fredericks was
a lanky Texan； the color of dust； and he had yellow； clear eyes； like
those of a hawk。 His mother had been an Isbel。 Gordon； too； was
related to Jean's family； though distantly。 He resembled an industrious
miner more than a prosperous cattleman。 Blue was the most striking of
the visitors； as he was the most noted。 A little； shrunken gray…eyed
man； with years of cowboy written all over him； he looked the quiet；
easy； cool； and deadly Texan he was reputed to be。 Blue's Texas record
was shady； and was seldom alluded to； as unfavorable comment had turned
out to be hazardous。 He was the only one of the group who did not carry
a rifle。 But he packed two guns； a habit not often noted in Texans； and
almost never in Arizonians。
Colmor； Ann Isbel's fiance； was the youngest member of the clan； and
the one closest to Jean。 His meeting with Ann affected Jean powerfully；
and brought to a climax an idea that had been developing in Jean's mind。
His sister devotedly loved this lean…faced； keen…eyed Arizonian； and it
took no great insight to discover that Colmor reciprocated her affection。
They were young。 They had long life before them。 It seemed to Jean a
pity that Colmor should be drawn into this war。 Jean watched them； as
they conversed apart； and he saw Ann's hands creep up to Colmor's breast；
and he saw her dark eyes； eloquent； hungry； fearful； lifted with queries
her lips did not speak。 Jean stepped beside them； and laid an arm over
both their shoulders。
〃Colmor； for Ann's sake you'd better back out of this Jorth…Isbel fight；〃
he whispered。
Colmor looked insulted。 〃But； Jean； it's Ann's father；〃 he said。
〃I'm almost one of the family。〃
〃You're Ann's sweetheart； an'； by Heaven； I say you oughtn't to go
with us！〃 whispered Jean。
〃Gowithyou；〃 faltered Ann。
〃Yes。 Dad is goin' straight after Jorth。 Can't you tell that？ An'
there 'll be one hell of a fight。〃
Ann looked up into Colmor's face with all her soul in her eyes； but she
did not speak。 Her look was noble。 She yearned to guide him right；
yet her lips were sealed。 And Colmor betrayed the trouble of his soul。
The code of men held him bound； and he could not break from it； though
he divined in that moment how truly it was wrong。
〃Jean； your dad started me in the cattle business；〃 said Colmor；
earnestly。 〃An' I'm doin' well now。 An' when I asked him for Ann
he said he'd be glad to have me in the family。 。 。 。 Well； when this
talk of fight come up； I asked your dad to let me go in on his side。
He wouldn't hear of it。 But after a while； as the time passed an' he
made more enemies； he finally consented。 I reckon he needs me now。
An' I can't back out； not even for Ann。〃
〃I would if I were you；〃 replied jean； and knew that he lied。
〃Jean； I'm gamblin' to come out of the fight；〃 said Colmor； with a smile。
He had no morbid fears nor presentiments； such as troubled jean。
〃Why； sureyou stand as good a chance as anyone；〃 rejoined Jean。
〃It wasn't that I was worryin' about so much。〃
〃What was it； then？〃 asked Ann； steadily。
〃If Andrew DOES come through alive he'll have blood on his hands；〃
returned Jean； with passion。 〃He can't come through without it。 。 。 。
I've begun to feel what it means to have killed my fellow men。 。 。 。
An' I'd rather your husband an' the father of your children never
felt that。〃
Colmor did not take Jean as subtly as Ann did。 She shrunk a little。
Her dark eyes dilated。 But Colmor showed nothing of her spiritual
reaction。 He was young。 He had wild blood。 He was loyal to the Isbels。
〃Jean； never worry about my conscience；〃 he said； with a keen look。
〃Nothin' would tickle me any more than to get a shot at every damn
one of the Jorths。〃
That established Colmor's status in regard to the Jorth…Isbel feu