Yes, she had to save Creed Bonbright if she could, and to be of any use to him she must know what was planned against him. It was dark by the time the women-folk had gone their ways and the men remaining had assembled definitely in old Jephthah's separate cabin. No gleam of light shone from its one window. Judith watched for some time, then taking a bucket as a pretext walked down the path to the cow-lot, which led her close in to the cabin. She could hear as she approached the murmur of masculine voices. Secure from observation in the darkness, she crept to the window and listened, her head leaned against the wooden shutter. Old Jephthah was speaking, and she realised from his words that she had chanced upon the close of their council. The big voice came out to her in carefully lowered tones. "Well, Broyles, yo' the oldest, an that's yo' opinion. Hawk an' Chantry says the same. Now as far as I'm concerned--" the commanding accents faltered a little--"I'm obliged to agree with you. The matter has got where we cain't do no other than run him out. I admit it. I'll say yes to that." Judith trembled, for she knew they spoke of Creed. "Well, Jep, you better not put too many things in the way," came accents she recognised as Turrentine Broyles's, "or looks like these-here boys is liable to find theirselves behind bars befo' snow flies." "Huh-uh," agreed the old man's voice. "I know whar I'm at. I ain't lived this long and got through without disgrace or jailin' to take up with it at my age; but they don't raid no more cabins. I freed my mind on that last night; I made myself cl'ar; an' that's the one pledge I ax for. Toll him away from the place and layway him, if you must, to run him out. But they's to be no killin', an' no mo' shootin' up houses whar they is women and chil'en. This ain't no feud." "All right--we've got yo' word for it, have we?" inquired Buck Shalliday eagerly. "You'll stand by us?" Suddenly a brand on the hearth flamed up, and Judith peering through a crack of the board shutter had sight of her uncle standing, his height exaggerated by the flickering illumination, tall and black on the hearthstone. About him the faint light fell on a circle of eager, drawn faces, all set toward him. As she looked he raised his hand above his head and shook the clenched fist. "I've got obliged to," he groaned. "God knows I had nothing against Creed Bonbright. And I can't say as I've got anything against him yit. But I've got a-plenty against rottin' in jail. I'd ruther die." "Will ye come with us, pap?" Jim Cal instantly put the question, and as he spoke the light went suddenly out.