aid swiftly, "drive th' cattle down from th' Cup Rim
right away. We'll run those two bunches under Blue Pine an' Nick Bob
out toward th' Black Coulee. Tell 'em t' keep close t' th' others. I
trust th' Indians, but there ain't no Indian livin' can meet
Courtrey's white renegades in courage an' wits. Then we'll start right
in an' dig a well th' first well ever dug on th' open range in this
man's land."

"Good Lord, Tharon!" said Conford, "A well!"

"Yes. Th' livin' water holes have been th' pride of th' Valley, I
know, but we'll fix this well of ours so's even Courtrey will respect
it."

There was a grim note in the golden voice.

"How?" asked Conford uneasily.

"Dig it first," said Tharon, "then I'll tell you."

What the mistress said, went. Therefore, the next morning saw a
disgusted bunch of cowboys and Indian _vaqueros_ setting to with a
will at a spot much nearer the Holding than the Crystal had been, and
it took a much shorter time to reach water in a good gravel bed than
any one had dreamed.

In three days the thing was done and Conford presented himself,
smiling.

"Now, Miss Secrecy," he said, "come on with th' mystery."

Tharon went in to the big desk which Jim Last had used and which was
now her own, and returned with a square white slab of pine,
elaborately smoothed and finished by Jose.

"Read that," she said, and held it up, face out.

Printed neatly upon its shining surface, in the jet-black ink that old
Anita made from the berries of a certain bush which grew at the foot
of the cliffs across the Valley, were these words:

"This well is planted. I hope it blows up the first thief who tries to
destroy it. Tharon Last."

Conford took the slab, scratched his head, holding his hat between
thumb and finger, read it over, read it again, smiled, and then looked
up.

"Might work," he said, "an' you're givin' out your stand an' knowledge
broadcast, ain't you?"

"Certainly am," said Tharon briefly. "I said I'd fight, an' I want th'
whole Valley t' know it."

"It does," said Conford with conviction. "I heard in Corvan yesterday
that John Dement has rode th' range continuous since he finished
brandin' his new herd to tell th' settlers about it."

"Good," said Tharon, "couldn't be better. There's got to be a change
in Lost Valley sooner or later. Might as well be sooner."

And with that thought the girl let her quick mind sweep out to take in
the future. She sent Conford off to post her placard a