them with strange eyes.

Jimmy looked at the woman who held him, hoping his mother would come, and
he could see them both. And while he waited he dropped off to sleep; and
little Judith, hiding her head on Topeka's shoulder, that she might not
see the look in those accusing eyes, presently dreamed that all was well
with her again; and Topeka reflected that if her mother should ask her in
the morning whether she had dreamed last night, she would have a fine tale
to tell of men riding up, and loud voices, and trying of the door, and
father going away with them. Her mother had questioned her this morning
when nothing had happened to warrant it. Surely she would ask again
to-morrow, and Topeka could tell--she could tell--all.

Alida looked at her three sleeping children--his children, and yet they
could sleep. Into her mind came that cry of utter desolation, "Could ye
not watch with me one hour?" And God had been deaf to Him, His son, even
as He was deaf to her.

The children were sleeping easily. The hush that had hung like a pall over
the valley had not lifted. Had they done it? Was it over yet? She went to
the door and listened. Surely the silence that wrapped the valley was a
thing apart. It was as no other silence that she could remember. It was
still, still, and yet there was vibration to it, like the muffled roar
within a shell. She strained her ears--was that the sound of horsemen going
down the trail? No, no, it was only the beating of her foolish heart that
would not be still, but beat and fluttered and would not let her hear.
Yes, surely, that was the sound of hoofs. It was over then--they were
going.

She would go and look for him. Perhaps it would not be too late--she had
heard of such things. A dynamic force consumed her. She had no
consciousness of her body. Her feet and hands did things with incredible
swiftness--lighted a lantern, selected a knife, ran to the corral for an
old ladder that had been there when they took possession of the deserted
house; and through all her frantic haste she could feel this new force, as
it were, lick up the red blood in her veins, burn her body to ashes as it
gave her new power. She felt that never again would she have need of meat
and drink and sleep. This force would abide with her till all was over,
then leave her, like the whitened bones of the desert.

It was dark in the valley, but the menacing stillness seemed to be
lifting. The range-cattle had again taken up thei