"That ain't the kind of hell I referred to, Two-Bits. I don't know much about that kind, with brimstone and fire and all the rest.... "There's a hell, though, Tommy. It's when a man lets the weakness in him run off with what strength he has, when he don't trust those who deserve to be trusted, when he's suspicious of those his heart tells him are above suspicion." Two-Bits swallowed, setting his Adam's apple leaping. His eyes widened. "Gosh, you talk just like th' Reverend!" he said, and Beck laughed until his wound hurt him. "Well, if they ain't in hell, they're under an awful lot of rocks," he added. "That's all I care, to have 'em out of her way." "Yes, it makes it smoother. Real folks, men who deserve the name, won't do anything but trust her and help her." "Not after the way she made 'em come out of their holes! That trial must've been grand, Tommy! I'd 've give two bits to seen it an' heard it! "She won't have no trouble no more. Everybody knows she's got more head than most men on this here creek. But she's got somethin' else! She's got a ... a gentle way with her that makes everybody want to do things for her. "Look at how she treated Cole. Why, anybody else 'd run him off! 'Stead of that she gets Bobby Cole to file on that claim an' helps 'em to build a good house an' wants 'em to stay. You can bet your life that H C cattle'll get water there now. That catamount ... hell, she'd _carry_ it for 'em if there wasn't any other way to get it to 'em!" "Yes, Bobby's changed." "Should say she is changed! She's got a different look to her, not so hard an' horstile as she used to be; she's plumb doe-cyle now! "I expect she's glad she didn't kill Hilton. If she hadn't changed she'd been glad to do it. But, bein' like she is now, she wouldn't want to hurt nobody.... Unless that somebody wanted to hurt Miss Hunter." His eyes roved off down the road and settled on a swiftly moving horse, the great sorrel who was bringing Jane Hunter back to the ranch after a ride far down the creek. "Speakin' of Hell, Tommy: there mebby ain't any like the Reverend claims there is, but there's a Heaven! I'll bet two bits there is! I'll gamble on it because I know an angel that stepped right down that there, now, solid gold ladder.... "She's comin' up th' road.... An' Mister Two-Bits Beal, _esquire_, is goin' to drift out of here!" With a broad wink, which set a suggestion of a flush into Beck's cheeks, he took his hat and departed. * * * * * Jane entered, drawing the pin from her hat; then stopped on the threshold with a cry. "Oh, the doctor's been here!" "Yes, and he's rolled the old carcass over," Beck answered. She stood looking down at him for a moment and then dropped quickly to her knees. "It's so good to look into your eyes again," she whispered, and though her own eyes were bright there were tears in her voice. Beck's gaze wavered and he slowly withdrew the hand that she had taken.