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Show ft , lt--i.- ,r r r3 JTvr eitvaHcr mid it hnniUome pnuwj woman Imaginary tree "They're goln' to get him for shore this time, soon as he comes out of Jail, but would you guess It from her bluff" There was no mistaking the fate of a rustler nfter Mr. Dux's grisly demon-stratum, demon-stratum, but of the quality of his calling call-ing Mary was as Ignorant as before. "And why should they do that?" she Inquired, with tenderfoot simplicity. "Stenlln' cattle ain't good for 'the health hereabouts," said Leander ns one who spoke with authurlty. "It'a apt to bring on throat trouble." nut Mary did not llnd Lcander's Joko nmushig. She had suddenly remembered re-membered the pale, gaunt man who had walked Into the eating house the prevlot.,1 morning and walked out again, his errand turned Into farce-comedy farce-comedy by the cowardice of nn tin-wnrtliv tin-wnrtliv iiiitiif..tiitut -rim ,,..ii ,.' wormy lining, num. -jno pale man's grlerance had had to do with sheep and cattle. His name had been Kodney Kod-ney too. She understood now. He was Judith Rodney's brother and he was hi danger of being hanged. Mary Carmlchacl felt first the admiration of a girl, then the pity of a woman, for the brave young creature who bo stoutly carried so unspeakable n burden. bur-den. Hut Mie could not speak of her new knowledge to Leander. "There ain't a mail In this Gawd forsaken c,t ntry wouldn't lope at the chance to die for her but the wlm-men!" wlm-men!" Leander' pauton.'lnlc Indication Indica-tion of absolute feminine antagonism was conclusive. a "The wimtuen treats her scabby-Just scabby-Just scabby. Don't you go to thlnkln' she alu't a good girl on that account. If Judy wasn't n gooil girl these boys about here would Just natchrally become be-come extinct sbootln' each other upon account of her." And something like an attitude of .chivalrous protection straightened the apologetic crook In hi craven outline. "Aie the women jealous of her?" "It's her Independence that riles 'em. They take on awful about her rhllit ' In pants, and It certnluly Is n heap ' more modest than ridln' straddle In a ! hitched up calikcr skirt, snnio as some ' of 'em do." "Leander! Leander!" came In ne- j cuslng accents from the kitchen. . "Klin!" gasped Mrs. Dnx's hand- I maiden. "Don't let her catch us chlnnlu'." , Mary Carmlchael ran round one side i of the house, ns she was bidden, hut, ' like Lot's wife, could not resist the temptation of looking back. Leander, with Incredible rapidity, grabbed two clothespins off the line, clutched a dish towel nnd shook It. "Comln! Com-In'!" Com-In'!" he called us he went through the farce of rebanglug It. "" Tho louesomeiiess of plain and foothill, foot-hill, the utter lack or the human element ele-ment that gives to this country its character of penetrating desolation, had been changed while Mary Carmlchael Carml-chael foregathered with Leander by the clothesline From the four quarters of the compass ineii lu sombrero, tlannel shirts nnd all manner of strange habiliments habil-iments cauio galloping over the roads as If their horses were as keen on reaching Dax's as their riders. The little lit-tle plutos, btieksklus, bays and chestnuts chest-nuts dashed to the door and stopped short In a full gallop. As a bit of stac- .......k ... ,.. ,..(, u.. .,, ,1 ,j,i. ui null;- cato equestrianism It was superb. And then the wherefore of all this dashing horsemanship was apparent. Judith Hodney hnd opened postolllce. 8ho had changed her riding clothes, or, rather, that portion of them to which the ladles look exception was now concealed by a long black skirt. Her wonderful braids of black hair had been twisted high on her head. She was well worth a trip across the alkali wastes to see. Tho room was packed with men. One unconsciously got tho impression that a lire, n light or somo crowd collecting casualty had hnp-peued. hnp-peued. Judith managed them all cow punchers, punch-ers, sheep lieider, prospectors, freighters freight-ers with an Impersonal skill that suggested sug-gested a little solitary exercise In the bowling alley. The tenpins took their tumbles lu good part no one could congratulate himself on escaping the leveling ball and where there's u universal uni-versal lack of luck doubtless also there will be found a sort of grim fellowship. fellow-ship. That they were all moro or less lu lovo with her there could bo no doubt. As n matter of fact, Judith Hodney did not depend on tho hcnrclty of women wom-en lu the desert for her pre-eminence in the Interest!) of this hot headed group. Her personality nnd through no conscious con-scious effort of hero would have -been pre-eminent auywhore. As It was, lu tbs yioman-fprsaken wilderness, .nho |