"I'll tell you what I think," she said, throwing up her head, her eyes as quick and bright as water in the sun, "I think it's the judgment of God! I glory in the trick Alan Macdonald played you, and I pray God he can shut your hired murderers there till the last red-handed devil dies of thirst!" Chadron fell back from her a step, his eyes staring, his mouth open, his hand lifted as if to silence her. He stood so a moment, casting his wild look around, fearful that somebody else had heard her passionate denunciation. "What in the hell do you mean?" he asked, crouching as he spoke, his teeth clenched, his voice smothered in his throat. "I mean that I know you're a murderer--and worse! You hired those men, like you hired Mark Thorn, to come here and murder those innocent men and their families!" "Well, what if I did?" he said, standing straight again, his composure returning. "They're thieves; they've been livin' off of my cattle for years. Anybody's got a right to kill a rustler--that's the only cure. Well, they'll not pen them men of mine up there till they crack for water, I'll bet you a purty on that! I'm goin' after soldiers, and this time I'll git 'em, too." "Soldiers!" said she, in amazement. "Will you ask the United States government to march troops here to save your hired assassins? Well, you'll not get troops--if there's anything that I can say against you to keep you from it!" "You keep out of it, my little lady; you ain't got no call to mix up with a bunch of brand-burnin' thieves!" "They're not thieves, and you know it! Macdonald never stole an animal from you or anybody else; none of the others ever did." "What do you know about it?" sharply. "I know it, as well as I know what's in your mind about the troops. You'll go over father's head to get them. Well, by the time he wires to the department the facts I'm going to lay before him, I'd like to see the color of the trooper you'll get!" "You'll keep your mouth shut, and hold your finger out of this pie before you git it burnt!" "I'll not keep my mouth shut!" She began moving about the room, picking up her belongings. "I'm going to saddle my horse and go to the post right now, and the facts of your bloody business will be in Washington before morning." "You're not goin'--to the--post!" Chadron's words were slow and hard. He stood with his back to the door. "This house was opened to you as a friend, not as a traitor and a spy. You're not goin' to put your foot outside of it into any business of mine, no matter which way you lean." All day she had been dressed ready to mount and ride in any emergency, her hat, gloves and quirt on the table before the fireplace. In that sober habit she appeared smaller and less stately, and Saul Chadron, with his heavy shoulders against the closed door, towered above her, dark and angrily determined. "I'm going to get my horse," said she, standing before him, waiting for him to quit the door.