"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 suffer--an' we
women be ruined for life--because 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. "Bill--you 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 thi