n't you tell Dad to come, please?" Instinctively she had turned
to her teacher.

When the shepherd came, she met him with the old familiar demand,
"Tell me everything, Dad; everything. I want to be told all about
it."

"You will be brave and strong, Sammy?"

Instantly, as ever, her quick mind grasped the meaning that lay
back of the words and her face grew deathly white. Then she
answered, "I will be brave and strong. But first, please open the
window, Dad." He threw up the sash. It was morning, and the mists
were over the valley, but the mountain tops were bathed in light.

Sammy arose, and walked steadily to a chair by the open window.
Looking out upon the beautiful scene, her face caught the light
that was on the higher ground, and she said softly, "'I will lift
up mine eyes unto the hills.' That's our word, now, isn't it, Dad?
I can share it with you, now." Then the shepherd told her. Young
Matt had been at the ranch with Mr. Howitt since early in the
evening, and was taking his leave for the night when they heard
horses stopping at the corral, and a voice calling. Upon their
answering, the voice said, "There is trouble at Jim Lane's. Take
these horses and go quick." And then as they had run from the
house, the messenger had retreated into the shadow of the bluff,
saying, "Never mind me. If you love Sammy, hurry." At this they
mounted and had ridden as fast as possible.

The old man did not tell the girl that he had found his saddle wet
and slippery, and that when he reached the light his hands were
red.

They had found the officers ready to leave with their prisoners.
All but two of the men were captured with their booty--Wash Gibbs
alone escaping badly hurt, they thought, after killing one of the
posse.

When they had asked for Sammy, one of the officers told them that
she was at Ford's over on Jake Creek, but another declared that he
had heard a woman scream as they were making the attack. Young
Matt had found her unconscious on the ground behind the cabin.

When the shepherd finished his brief account, the girl said, "Tell
me all, Dad. I want to know all. Did--did they take Daddy away?"

The old man's eyes were dim as he answered gently, "No, dear girl;
THEY did not take him away." Then Sammy knew why Dad had scrubbed
the cabin floor, and what the three men who talked so low had been
doing in the other room.

She made no outcry, only a moan, as she looked away across the
silent hills and the valle