Then came the afternoon when Johnny volunteered to show his guests about the ranch and they had set out, Tex remaining behind. Jane had felt a restraint at the thought of how close she and the ex-marshal would be thrown together on this ranch, but soon found it to be groundless. Deferential, reserved, friendly, he had not obtruded, and apparently had not noticed Tommy’s attentions. They rode off, Jerry with their host, Tommy at the side of Jane. When down in the main valley Johnny had turned off to look at the fenced-in quicksands, Jerry going with him to see the now harmless death trap, and Tommy remained behind with her; and when they returned they found a flushed Jane and a despondent Tommy. The following morning when she sat down to a late breakfast with Mr. Arnold, Johnny’s father-in-law, she learned quite casually that Tommy had gone to the Double X and that the rest of the men, her brother included, had ridden up to the north wire to make some repairs. Arnold explained about the difficulty of keeping the posts up along the bottom of the ravine where he had suffered his broken leg, and he told her of the fondness of the cattle for the wilderness of brush and of the difficult task of running a round-up on that part of the ranch. "Let me throw a saddle on yore horse, Miss Saunders," he suggested. "It will make a pleasant ride for you; an’ you can take ’em up some lunch if you like. They’ve got a bigger task than they think, for th’ ravine floor is solid rock. I’ll send Charley with you--he’s on th’ rampage because he overslept and I wouldn’t let him go up and bother them. But he might as well go." She thought for a moment, and then turned a grave and pitiful face to him. "I feel that I can ask you anything, Mr. Arnold; and I’m so upset." "You certainly can, Miss Saunders," he replied, abandoning the vernacular in response to her way of speaking. She hurriedly told him of the killing of Henry Williams, of the blood on her hands, but avoided the real appeal, the question she must find her own answer to. He heard her through, and, arising, placed a fatherly hand on her shoulder. "Jane," he said, slowly shaking his head. "Environment, circumstances, change all things. There’s not a man on this ranch that doesn’t feel proud of what he knows about you. A woman has as much right, and often a greater need, to defend herself, as a man has. Don’t you worry about that beast; and don’t you worry about anyone coming down here after you. We can muster forty fighting men, if we need them, purely on Johnny’s say-so. We’re all proud of you. Now I’ll saddle your horse while Peggy puts up the lunch. You and Charley can easily carry it between you. There’s no place down here where you can’t safely go; but please keep in the saddle while you’re on the range. These cattle are dangerous to anyone afoot."