an' belt。 When I peeped out from behind a spruce bush then I seen Bill
Isbel。 He was shootin' fast； an' all of them was shootin' fast。 That
war； when they had the open shot at Slater。 。 。 。 Wal； I bored Bill Isbel
right through his middle。 He dropped his rifle an'； all bent double；
he fooled around in a circle till he flopped over the Rim。 I reckon
he's layin' right up there somewhere below that daid spruce。 I'd shore
like to see him。〃
〃I Wal； you'd be as crazy as Oueen if you tried thet； declared Somers。
〃We're not out of the woods yet。〃
〃I reckon not；〃 replied Colter。 〃An' I've lost my horse。 Where'd y'u
leave yours？〃
〃They're down the canyon； below thet willow brake。 An' saddled an'
none of them tied。 Reckon we'll have to look them up before dark。〃
〃Colter； what 're we goin' to do？〃 demanded Springer。
〃Wait heah a whilethen cross the canyon an' work round up under
the bluff； back to the cabin。〃
〃An' then what？〃 queried Somers； doubtfully eying Colter。
〃We've got to eatwe've got to have blankets；〃 rejoined Colter；
testily。 〃An' I reckon we can hide there an' stand a better show
in a fight than runnin' for it in the woods。〃
〃Wal； I'm givin' you a hunch thet it looked like you was runnin'
fer it；〃 retorted Somers。
〃Yes； an' packin' the girl；〃 added Springer。 〃Looks funny to me。〃
Both rustlers eyed Colter with dark and distrustful glances。 What he
might have replied never transpired； for the reason that his gaze；
always shifting around； had suddenly fixed on something。
〃Is that a wolf？〃 he asked； pointing to the Rim。
Both his comrades moved to get in line with his finger。 Ellen could
not see from her position。
〃Shore thet's a big lofer；〃 declared Somers。 〃Reckon he scented us。〃
〃There he goes along the Rim；〃 observed Colter。 〃He doesn't act leary。
Looks like a good sign to me。 Mebbe the Isbels have gone the other way。〃
〃Looks bad to me；〃 rejoined Springer； gloomily。
〃An' why？〃 demanded Colter。
〃I seen thet animal。 Fust time I reckoned it was a lofer。 Second time
it was right near them Isbels。 An' I'm damned now if I don't believe
it's thet half…lofer sheep dog of Gass Isbel's。〃
〃Wal； what if it is？〃
〃Ha！ 。 。 。 Shore we needn't worry about hidin' out；〃 replied Springer；
sententiously。 〃With thet dog Jean Isbel could trail a grasshopper。〃
〃The hell y'u say！〃 muttered Colter。 Manifestly such a possibility put
a different light upon the present situation。 The men grew silent and
watchful； occupied by brooding thoughts and vigilant surveillance of
all points。 Somers slipped off into the brush； soon to return；
with intent look of importance。
〃I heerd somethin'；〃 he whispered； jerking his thumb backward。
〃Rollin' gravelcrackin' of twigs。 No deer！ 。 。 。 Reckon it'd
be a good idee for us to slip round acrost this bench。〃
〃Wal； y'u fellars go； an' I'll watch heah；〃 returned Colter。
〃Not much；〃 said Somers； while Springer leered knowingly。
Colter became incensed； but he did not give way to it。 Pondering a
moment； he finally turned to Ellen。 〃Y'u wait heah till I come back。
An' if I don't come in reasonable time y'u slip across the canyon an'
through the willows to the cabins。 Wait till aboot dark。〃 With that
he possessed himself of one of the extra rifles and belts and silently
joined his comrades。 Together they noiselessly stole into the brush。
Ellen had no other thought than to comply with Colter's wishes。
There was her wounded uncle who had been left unattended； and she
was anxious to get back to him。 Besides； if she had wanted to run
off from Colter； where could she go？ Alone in the woods； she would
get lost and die of starvation。 Her lot must be cast with the Jorth
faction until the end。 That did not seem far away。
Her strained attention and suspense made the moments fly。 By and by
several shots pealed out far across the side canyon on her right；
and they were answered by reports sounding closer to her。 The fight
was on again。 But these shots were not repeated。 The flies buzzed；
the hot sun beat down and sloped to the west； the soft； warm breeze
stirred the aspens； the ravens croaked； the red squirrels and blue
jays chattered。
Suddenly a quick； short； yelp electrified Ellen； brought her upright
with sharp； listening rigidity。 Surely it was not a wolf and hardly
could it be a coyote。 Again she heard it。 The yelp of a sheep dog！
She had heard that' often enough to know。 And she rose to change her
position so she could command a view of the rocky bluff above。 Presently
she espied what really appeared to be a big timber wolf。 But another
yelp satisfied her that it really was a dog。 She watched him。 Soon
it became evident that he wanted to get down over the bluff。 He ran
to and fro； and then out of sight。 In a few moments his yelp sounded
from lower down； at the base of the bluff； and it was now the cry of
an intelligent dog that was trying to call some one to his aid。 Ellen
grew convinced that the dog was near where Colter had said Bill Isbel
had plunged over the declivity。 Would the dog yelp that way if the
man was dead？ Ellen thought not。
No one came； and the continuous yelping of the dog got on Ellen's nerves。
It was a call for help。 And finally she surrendered to it。 Since her
natural terror when Colter's horse was shot from under her and she had
been dragged away； she had not recovered from fear of the Isbels。 But
calm consideration now convinced her that she could hardly be in a worse
plight in their hands than if she remained in Colter's。 So she started
out to find the dog。
The wooded bench was level for a few hundred yards； and then it began
to heave in rugged； rocky bulges up toward the Rim。 It did not appear
far to where the dog was barking； but the latter part of the distance
proved to be a hard climb over jumbled rocks and through thick brush。
Panting and hot； she at length reached the base of the bluff； to find
that it was not very high。
The dog espied her before she saw him； for he was coming toward her
when she discovered him。 Big； shaggy； grayish white and black；
with wild； keen face and eyes he assuredly looked the reputation
Springer had accorded him。 But sagacious； guarded as was his approach；
he appeared friendly。
〃Hellodoggie！〃 panted Ellen。 〃What'swrongup heah？ 〃
He yelped； his ears lost their stiffness； his body sank a little；
and his bushy tail wagged to and fro。 What a gray； clear； intelligent
look he gave her！ Then he trotted back。
Ellen followed him around a corner of bluff to see the body of a man
lying on his back。 Fresh earth and gravel lay about him； attesting to
his fall from above。 He had on neither coat nor hat； and the position
of his body and limbs suggested broken bones。 As Ellen hurried to his
side she saw that the front of his shirt； low down； was a bloody blotch。
But he could lift his head； his eyes were open； he was perfectly
conscious。 Ellen did not recognize the dusty； skinned face； yet
the mold of features； the look of the eyes； seemed strangely familiar。
〃You'reJorth'sgirl；〃 he said； in faint voice of surprise。
〃Yes； I'm Ellen Jorth；〃 she replied。 〃An' are y'u Bill Isbel？〃
〃All thet's left of me。 But I'm thankin' God somebody comeeven a Jorth。〃
Ellen knelt beside him and examined the wound in his abdomen。
A heavy bullet had indeed； as Colter had avowed； torn clear through
his middle。 Even if he had not sustained other serious injury from
the fall over the cliff； that terrible bullet wound meant death very
shortly。 Ellen shuddered。 How inexplicable were men！ How cruel；
bloody； mindless！
〃Isbel； I'm sorrythere's no hope；〃 she said； low voiced。 〃Y'u've not
long to live。 I cain't help y'u。 God knows I'd do so if I could。〃
〃All over！〃 he sighed； with his eyes looking beyond her。 〃I reckonI'm
glad。 。 。 。 But y'u cando somethin' for or me。 Will y'u？〃
〃Indeed； Yes。 Tell me；〃 she replied； lifting his dusty head on her knee。
Her hands trembled as she brushed his wet hair back from his clammy brow。
〃I've somethin'on my conscience；〃 he whispered。
The woman； the sensitive in Ellen； understood and pitied him then。
〃Yes；〃 she encouraged him。
〃I stole cattlemy dad's an ' Blaisdell'san' made dealswith Daggs。
。 。 。 All the crookednesswasn't onJorth's side。 。 。 。 I wantmy
brother Jeanto know。〃
〃I'll tryto tell him；〃 whispered Ellen； out of her great amaze。
〃We were alla bad lotexcept Jean；〃 went on Isbel。 〃Dad wasn't fair。
。 。 。 God！ how he hated Jorth！ Jorth； yes； who wasyour father。 。 。 。
Wal； they're even now。〃
〃Howso？〃 faltered Ellen。
〃Your father killed dad。 。 。 。 At the lastdad wanted tosave us。
He sent wordhe'd meet himface to facean' let thet end the feud。
They met out in the road。 。 。 。 But some one shot dad downwith a
riflean' then your father finished him。〃
〃An' then； Isbel；〃 added Ellen； with unconscious mocking bitterness；
〃Your brother murdered my dad！〃
〃What！〃 whispered Bill Isbel。 〃Shore y'u've gotit wrong。 I reckon
Jeancould have killedyour father。 。 。 。 But he didn't。 Queer；
we all thought。〃
〃Ah！ 。 。 。 Who did kill my father？〃 burst out Ellen； and her voice
rang like great hammers