"Yes, he's mean enough. On the other hand, Charleton knows I've got his number and he'll let me alone. I'm not worrying about him. That guy can't even keep his temper. Loan me the tar-pot, will you, and the searing-iron." John suddenly laughed. Douglas grinned faintly, then said, "I know now how Jude felt when you shot that little old Swift horse." "I suppose if you'd been big enough, you'd have treated me as you did Charleton," said John cheerfully. "I sure would have tried to," replied Douglas. "Where's Jude?" "Working on the little wild mare in the corral." Douglas nodded to his father and went in search of Judith. She nodded gaily from the saddle. "Why so sober, old-timer?" "Overwork!" exclaimed Douglas. "Jude, will you come up and help me with the handful of steers I want to dehorn?" "What's the matter with Old Gentlemen's Home?" asked Judith with her impish smile. "They are taken up with reforming each other," replied Douglas; adding more seriously, "they are too old to be much help with the rope, Jude." "I know," she nodded. "I'll come right along." It was not until they had nearly reached Doug's corral that he found courage to tell her about the death of Prince. She said nothing, for a moment, but she brought the mare up close to the Moose and laid her hand on Douglas' knee. "Dear old boy!" she said. "I know!" Then she sobbed for a moment against his shoulder. But when he would have put his arm about her she straightened herself and said, "But weren't you glad you were strong enough to thrash him!" "Yes!" replied Douglas. They said no more about it, but after the dehorning was done, Douglas saw Judith stand for a long time beside the chapel. He knew how her heart was aching, for she too was a lover of dogs. CHAPTER XIV THE BATTLE OF THE BULLS "The free plains were wonderful, but Judith's hand on my bit is more wonderful." --_The Little Wild Mare_. Douglas felt somehow, after this day, that Judith was nearer to him. Not that she changed in her manner at all, but there was an indefinable something about her that gave him hope: hope strong enough at least to put up a creditable struggle with the despair that was forever creeping upon him at unguarded moments. He slept in the chapel on Saturday night, just to make sure that no mischief was done under cover of the darkness. And on Sunday, Mr. Fowler preached an uninterrupted sermon. Scott was present, giving apparently an undivided ear to the preacher's discourse. Charleton was there, too. He ignored Douglas entirely. He had probably told no one of his trouble with Douglas and, knowing Douglas, he apparently felt that Lost Chief would remain in ignorance of the fight. So his saturnine face was as serenely insolent as ever, barring the remains of a very black eye.