〃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 feud。
Jean had no more to say。 He respected Ann's friend and felt poignant
sorrow for Ann。
Gaston Isbel called for meat and drink to be set on the table for his
guests。 When his wishes had been complied with the women took the
children into the adjoining cabin and shut the door。
〃Hah！ Wal； we can eat an' talk now。〃
First the newcomers wanted to hear particulars of what had happened。
Blaisdell had told all he knew and had seen； but that was not
sufficient。 They plied Gaston Isbel with questions。 Laboriously
and ponderously he rehearsed the experiences of the fight at the
ranch； according to his impressions。 Bill Isbel was exhorted to
talk； but he had of late manifested a sullen and taciturn disposition。
In spite of Jean's vigilance Bill had continued to imbibe red liquor。
Then Jean was called upon to relate all he had seen and done。 It had
been Jean's intention to keep his mouth shut； first for his own sake
and； secondly； because he did not like to talk of his deeds。 But when
thus appealed to by these somber…faced； intent…eyed men he divined that
the more carefully he described the cruelty and baseness of their
enemies； and the more vividly he presented his participation in the
first fight of the feud the more strongly he would bind these friends
to the Isbel cause。 So he talked for an hour； beginning with his
meeting with Colter up on the Rim and ending with an account of his
killing Greaves。 His listeners sat through this long narrative with
unabated interest and at the close they were leaning forward； breathless
and tense。
〃Ah！ So Greaves got his desserts at last；〃 exclaimed Gordon。
All the men around the table made comments； and the last； from Blue；
was the one that struck Jean forcibly。
〃Shore thet was a strange an' a hell of a way to kill Greaves。
Why'd you do thet； Jean？〃
〃I told you。 I wanted to avoid noise an' I hoped to get more of them。〃
Blue nodded his lean； eagle…like head and sat thoughtfully； as if not
convinced of anything save Jean's prowess。 After a moment Blue spoke
again。
〃Then； goin' back to Jean's tellin' aboot trackin' rustled Cattle；
I've got this to say。 I've long suspected thet somebody livin' right
heah in the valley has been drivin' off cattle an' dealin' with
rustlers。 An' now I'm shore of it。〃
This speech did not elicit the amaze from Gaston Isbel that Jean
expected it would。
〃You mean Greaves or some of his friends？〃
〃No。 They wasn't none of them in the cattle business； like we are。
Shore we all knowed Greaves was crooked。 But what I'm figgerin' is
thet some so…called honest man in our settlement has been makin'
crooked deals。
Blue was a man of deeds rather than words； and so much strong speech
from him； whom everybody knew to be remarkably reliable and keen；
made a profound impression upon most of the Isbel faction。 But；
to Jean's surprise； his father did not rave。 It was Blaisdell who
supplied the rage and invective。 Bill Isbel； also； was strangely
indifferent to this new element in the condition of cattle dealing。
Suddenly Jean caught a vague flash of thought； as if he had intercepted
the thought of another's mind； and he wonderedcould his brother Bill
know anything about this crooked work alluded to by Blue？ Dismissing
the conjecture； Jean listened earnestly。
〃An' if it's true it shore makes this differencewe cain't blame all
the rustlin' on to Jorth；〃 concluded Blue。
〃Wal； it's not true；〃 declared Gaston Isbel； roughly。 〃Jorth an' his
Hash Knife Gang are at the bottom of all the rustlin' in the valley
for years back。 An' they've got to be wiped out！〃
〃Isbel； I reckon we'd all feel better if we talk straight； replied Blue；
coolly。 〃I'm heah to stand by the Isbels。 An' y'u know what thet means。
But I'm not heah to fight Jorth because he may be a rustler。 The others
may have their own reasons； but mine is thisyou once stood by me in
Texas when I was needin' friends。 Wal； I'm standin' by y'u now。
Jorth is your enemy； an' so he is mine。〃
Gaston Isbel bowed to this ultimatum； scarcely less agitated than when
Esther Isbel had denounced him。 His rabid and morbid hate of Jorth had
eaten into his heart to take possession there； like the parasite that
battened upon the life of its victim。 Blue's steely voice； his cold；
gray eyes； showed the unbiased truth of the man； as well as his fidelity
to his creed。 Here again； but in a different manner； Gaston Isbel
had the fact flung at him that other men must suffer； perhaps die；
for his hate。 And the very soul of the old rancher apparently rose
in Passionate revolt against the blind； headlong； elemental strength
of his nature。 So it seemed to Jean； who； in love and pity that hourly
grew； saw through his father。 Was it too late？ Alas！ Gaston Isbel
could never be turned back！ Yet something was altering his brooding；
fixed mind。
〃Wal；〃 said Blaisdell； gruffly； 〃let's get down to business。 。 。 。
I'm for havin' Blue be foreman of this heah outfit； an' all of us to
do as he says。〃
Gaston Isbel opposed this selection and indeed resented it。
He intended to lead the Isbel faction。
〃All right； then。 Give us a hunch what we're goin' to do；〃
replied Blaisdell。
〃We're goin' to ride off on Jorth's trailan' one way or another
kill himKILL HIM！ 。 。 。 I reckon that'll end the fight。〃
What did old Isbel have in his mind？ His listeners shook their heads。
〃No；〃 asserted Blaisdell。 〃Killin' Jorth might be the end of your
desires； Isbel； but it 'd never end our fight。 We'll have gone too far。
。 。 。 If we take Jorth's trail from heah it means we've got to wipe out
that rustier gang； or stay to the last man。〃
〃Yes； by God！〃 exclaimed Fredericks。
〃Let's drink to thet！〃 said Blue。 Strangely they turned to this Texas
gunman； instinctively recognizing in him the brain and heart； and the
past deeds； that fitted him for the leadership of such a clan。 Blue
had all in life to lose； and nothing to gain。 Yet his spirit was such
that he could not lean to all the possible gain of the future； and
leave a debt unpaid。 Then his voice； his look； his influence were
those of a fighter。 They all drank with him； even Jean； who hated
liquor。 And this act of drinking seemed the climax of the council。
Preparations were at once begun for their departure on Jorth's trail。
Jean took but little time for his own needs。 A horse； a blanket；
a knapsack of meat and bread； a canteen； and his weapons； with all
the ammunition he could pack； made up his outfit。 He wore his buckskin
suit； leggings； and moccasins。 Very soon the cavalcade was ready to
depart。 Jean tried not to watch Bill Isbel say good…by to his children；
but it was impossible not to。 Whatever Bill was； as a man； he was
father of those children； and he loved them。 How strange that the
little ones seemed to realize the meaning of this good…by？ They were
grave； somber…eyed； pale up to the last moment； then they broke down
and wept。 Did they sense that their father would never come back？
Jean caught that dark； fatalistic presentiment。 Bill Isbel's convulsed
face showed that he also caught it。 Jean did not see Bill say good…by
to his wife。 But he heard her。 Old Gaston Isbel forgot to speak to
the children； or else could not。 He never looked at them。 And his
good…by to Ann was as if he were only riding to the village for a day。
Jean saw woman's love； woman's intuition； woman's grief in her eyes。
He could not escape her。 〃Oh； Jean！ oh； brother！〃 she whispered as
she enfolded him。 〃It's awful！ It's wrong！ Wrong！ Wrong！ 。 。 。
Good…by！ 。 。 。 If killing MUST besee that y'u kill the Jorths！
。 。 。 Good…by！〃
Even in Ann； gentle and mild； the Isbel blood spoke at the last。
Jean gave Ann over to the pale…faced Colmor； who took her in his arms。
Then Jean fled out to his horse。 This cold…blooded devastation of a
home was almost more than he could bear。 There was love here。
What would be left？
Colmor was the last one to come out to the horses。 He did not walk
erect； nor as one whose sight was clear。 Then； as the silent； tense；
grim men mounted their horses； Bill Isbel's eldest child； the boy；
appeared in the door。 His little form seemed instinct with a force
vastly different from grief。 His face was the face of an Isbel。
〃Daddykill 'em all！〃 he shouted； with a passion all the fiercer
for its incongruity to the treble voice。
So the poison had spread from father to son。
CHAPTER IX
Half a mile from the Isbel ranch the cavalcade passed the log cabin
of Evarts； father of the boy who had tended sheep with Bernardino。
It suited Gaston Isbel to halt here。 No need to call！ Evarts and
his son appeared so quickly as to convince observers that they had
been watching。
〃Howdy； Jake！〃 said Isbel。 〃I'm wantin' a word with y'u alone。〃
〃Shore； boss； git down an' come in；〃 replied Evarts。
Isbel led him aside； and said something forcible that Jean divined
from the very gesture which accompanied it。 His father was telling
Evarts that he was not to join in the Is