Judith of the Godless Valley Part 57

"I never let a debt go unpaid," chuckled Charleton.

"Aw, come off, Scott!" cried John Spencer. "Give them the bull and send them home. We are sick of your rows in this valley!"

Scott forgot that he was guarding the trail. He spurred his horse furiously toward John, flourishing his six-shooter. The two Mormons slipped quickly away.

"If you think you can sacrifice me for Jude, John Spencer!" cried Scott.

He got no farther, for Douglas, now on the Moose, cracked him on the right wrist with the b.u.t.t of his own gun. At the same time, Peter knocked John's arm into the air. Scott's weapon dropped into the snow.

"Now," said Douglas with his quiet grin, "this venison dinner party of mine is announced as over. You Mormons take yourselves and your dogs off my place. Frank," to the sheriff, who had been an amused spectator up to this point, "come over here and soothe Scott. He's a right nervous cowman to-day. Dad, you take Jude home."

Frank rode slowly over to take Scott's bridle.

"Well," said Peter, "looks like our host wants to get rid of us. Come on, Charleton."

"I'll get you later, Charleton!" shouted Scott.

"But how about--" began Nelson.

Douglas turned in his saddle and faced the older man. His young eyes suddenly looked grim and hard. "Nelson, you have seen what Lost Chief is like to-day. We have no fear and we have no friends and we have no G.o.d.

But Lost Chief is ours and we intend to keep it. No Mormon is welcome.

Don't use our trails or our range or our herd waters. Now, go!"

"Those are hard words, such as a man can't afford to speak to a neighbor," said Elijah, turning his horse slowly.

Douglas did not reply, and not at all reluctantly the visitors spurred up the drifted trail.

"Come on, Judith!" John nodded to the girl.

"I'm going to stay and doctor Sioux up," she said.

"Go on home, Judith," urged Douglas.

"I'll take care of the bull for you," said old Johnny, who had not spoken a word during the entire episode.

"n.o.body can touch him in the state he's in but me. You know that!"

declared Judith.

"Judith," repeated Douglas, "you go home."

"Why?" demanded the girl.

"You know why, Judith. Go on with Dad."

Judith set her lips, and slowly, very slowly spurred Buster after John's horse. Not until she was out of earshot did Douglas say to Scott:

"Scott, let's you and me settle our differences once and for all." It was dark now and cold. "You gather up that gun, Johnny, and we'll go into the cabin where it's warm."

"I'll not go near your house!" Scott spoke gruffly.

"Look here, Scott! Don't be a grouch! Let's see if we can't get together."

"Get together? What for? Some of this pious stuff, I suppose!"

"No, it's not! It's just common sense. We both plan to spend our lives in this valley. Why fight all the time?"

"You can bet I do plan to spend my life in this valley. Neither you nor Charleton can run me out. Lost Chief is as much mine as it is yours.

Don't you ever get it into that thick head of yours that you can be Big Chief here. I am going to have a finger in this pie myself."

"Aw, draw it mild, Scott!" protested the sheriff. "n.o.body's afraid of your threats. Doug's advice is good. Come out of your grouch and join the crowd."

"Whose crowd? Doug's? I didn't know he had one except for idiots,"

sneered Scott.

"No," said Douglas cheerfully, "we don't want any idiots in our crowd.

We want good friends and watchmen, hey, Johnny? Come on in, Scott. The going is pretty good."

Scott uttered an oath. Douglas, a straight, rather tense figure in the dusk, did not speak again for a long moment; then he said quietly, "All right, Scott! I'm through. Get off my place, quick!"

He dismounted and unsaddled the Moose. Scott rode off at a gallop.

"Want any help with the bull, Doug?" asked Frank Day.

"No, thanks! We'll get him into the stable and then look him over. Get the lantern, will you, Johnny?"

"Then I'll be riding," said the sheriff. "My ch.o.r.es should have been done an hour ago," and he jingled down the trail.

It was not difficult to lead Sioux into the little log cow stable. But here all progress ceased. The bull became so frantic whenever they tried to examine his wounds that after a prolonged struggle they left him.

Johnny and Douglas finished the ch.o.r.es while the preacher went into the cabin and got supper. They sat long over the meal. Old Johnny was deeply excited. A fight always upset his poor old tangled nerves. Douglas finally suggested that he take the lantern and clean up after the dinner; and the old man, who loved to potter about the chapel almost as much as did the preacher, acquiesced enthusiastically.

After he had gone, Fowler said, "Douglas, that little chap is going to do some one bodily harm if we aren't careful. He is getting fanatically devoted to you. I had to keep my hand on his arm all the afternoon."

"The poor old dogy!" Doug shook his head. "We'll keep the guns away from him, and then he won't get into trouble. I'm more bothered about you and Scott than I am about me and Johnny, though!"

"Scott means mischief," said the preacher.

Douglas nodded. "I don't want you to go anywhere without me. He is plenty smart enough to know that the best way to get me is through you--or Judith!"

"Don't worry about me, Douglas. I heard Bryan say once, 'My body is covered with the callouses of defeat. No one can hurt me.' I am like Bryan. No one can hurt me. And I would guess that Judith can look out for herself."

Douglas grunted. The two sat staring at the fire in a silence that was not broken until Judith called from without, "Douglas, I want to see Sioux!"

Douglas took up the lantern and, followed by Fowler, went out. Judith stood beside Buster.

"You give me the lantern, Doug, and neither of you follow me. I can manage him best alone." She was not gone long. "He's not as bad off as I feared," she said when she returned. "I'll let him feed and rest for another hour, then I'll take him down home where I can tend to him right."

"Then let's go in out of the cold," suggested Fowler.

When they were established around the stove, Judith asked, "How did you and Scott get along, Douglas?"