m where disaster threatened。 He felt his eyes dilate as he stared at Lassiter leading Black Star and Night out of the sage； with Jane Withersteen； in rider's costume； close beside them。
For an instant Venters felt himself whirl dizzily in the center of vast circles of sage。 He recovered partially； enough to see Lassiter standing with a glad smile and Jane riveted in astonishment。
〃Why； Bern！〃 she exclaimed。 〃How good it is to see you！ We're riding away； you see。 The storm burstand I'm a ruined woman！。。。I thought you were alone。〃
Venters； unable to speak for consternation； and bewildered out of all sense of what he ought or ought not to do； simply stared at Jane。
〃Son； where are you bound for？〃 asked Lassiter。
〃Not safewhere I was。 I'mwe're going out of Utahback East；〃 he found tongue to say。
〃I reckon this meetin's the luckiest thing that ever happened to you an' to mean' to Janean' to Bess；〃 said Lassiter； coolly。
〃Bess！〃 cried Jane； with a sudden leap of blood to her pale cheek。
It was entirely beyond Venters to see any luck in that meeting。
Jane Withersteen took one flashing； woman's glance at Bess's scarlet face； at her slender； shapely form。
〃Venters！ is this a girla woman？〃 she questioned； in a voice that stung。
〃Yes。〃
〃Did you have her in that wonderful valley？〃
〃Yes； but Jane〃
〃All the time you were gone？〃
〃Yes； but I couldn't tell〃
〃Was it for her you asked me to give you supplies？ Was it for her that you wanted to make your valley a paradise？〃
〃OhJane〃
〃Answer me。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； you liar！〃 And with these passionate words Jane Withersteen succumbed to fury。 For the second time in her life she fell into the ungovernable rage that had been her father's weakness。 And it was worse than his； for she was a jealous womanjealous even of her friends。 As best he could； he bore the brunt of her anger。 It was not only his deceit to her that she visited upon him； but her betrayal by religion； by life itself。
Her passion； like fire at white heat； consumed itself in little time。 Her physical strength failed； and still her spirit attempted to go on in magnificent denunciation of those who had wronged her。 Like a tree cut deep into its roots； she began to quiver and shake； and her anger weakened into despair。 And her ringing voice sank into a broken； husky whisper。 Then； spent and pitiable； upheld by Lassiter's arm； she turned and hid her face in Black Star's mane。
Numb as Venters was when at length Jane Withersteen lifted her head and looked at him； he yet suffered a pang。
〃Jane； the girl is innocent！〃 he cried。
〃Can you expect me to believe that？〃 she asked； with weary； bitter eyes。
〃I'm not that kind of a liar。 And you know it。 If I liedif I kept silent when honor should have made me speak； it was to spare you。 I came to Cottonwoods to tell you。 But I couldn't add to your pain。 I intended to tell you I had come to love this girl。 But； Jane I hadn't forgotten how good you were to me。 I haven't changed at all toward you。 I prize your friendship as I always have。 But； however it may look to youdon't be unjust。 The girl is innocent。 Ask Lassiter。〃
〃Jane； she's jest as sweet an' innocent as little Fay；〃 said Lassiter。 There was a faint smile upon his face and a beautiful light。
Venters saw； and knew that Lassiter saw； how Jane Withersteen's tortured soul wrestled with hate and threw itwith scorn doubt； suspicion； and overcame all。
〃Bern； if in my misery I accused you unjustly； I crave forgiveness；〃 she said。 〃I'm not what I once was。 Tell mewho is this girl？〃
〃Jane； she is Oldring's daughter； and his Masked Rider。 Lassiter will tell you how I shot her for a rustler； saved her lifeall the story。 It's a strange story； Jane； as wild as the sage。 But it's truetrue as her innocence。 That you must believe；〃
〃Oldring's Masked Rider！ Oldring's daughter！〃 exclaimed Jane 〃And she's innocent！ You ask me to believe much。 If this girl isis what you say； how could she be going away with the man who killed her father？〃
〃Why did you tell that？〃 cried Venters； passionately。
Jane's question had roused Bess out of stupefaction。 Her eyes suddenly darkened and dilated。 She stepped toward Venters and held up both hands as if to ward off a blow。
〃Diddid you kill Oldring？〃
〃I did； Bess； and I hate myself for it。 But you know I never dreamed he was your father。 I thought he'd wronged you。 I killed him when I was madly jealous。〃
For a moment Bess was shocked into silence。
〃But he was my father！〃 she broke out； at last。 〃And now I must go backI can't go with you。 It's all overthat beautiful dream。 Oh； I knew it couldn't come true。 You can't take me now。〃
〃If you forgive me； Bess； it'll all come right in the end！〃 implored Venters。
〃It can't be right。 I'll go back。 After all； I loved him。 He was good to me。 I can't forget that。〃
〃If you go back to Oldring's men I'll follow you； and then they'll kill me；〃 said Venters； hoarsely。
〃Oh no； Bern； you'll not come。 Let me go。 It's best for you to forget mot I've brought you only pain and dishonor。〃
She did not weep。 But the sweet bloom and life died out of her face。 She looked haggard and sad； all at once stunted； and her hands dropped listlessly； and her head drooped in slow； final acceptance of a hopeless fate。
〃Jane。 look there！〃 cried Venters； in despairing grief。 〃Need you have told her？ Where was all your kindness of heart？ This girl has had a wretched； lonely life。 And I'd found a way to make her happy。 You've killed it。 You've killed something sweet and pure and hopeful； just as sure as you breathe。〃
〃Oh； Bern！ It was a slip。 I never thoughtI never thought！〃 replied Jane。 〃How could I tell she didn't know？〃
Lassiter suddenly moved forward； and with the beautiful light on his face now strangely luminous； he looked at Jane and Venters and then let his soft； bright gaze rest on Bess。
〃Well； I reckon you've all had your say； an' now it's Lassiter's turn。 Why； I was jest praying for this meetin'。 Bess； jest look here。〃
Gently he touched her arm and turned her to face the others； and then outspread his great hand to disclose a shiny； battered gold locket。
〃Open it；〃 he said； with a singularly rich voice。
Bess complied； but listlessly。
〃JaneVenterscome closer；〃 went on Lassiter。 〃Take a look at the picture。 Don't you know the woman？〃
Jane； after one glance； drew back。
〃Milly Erne！〃 she cried； wonderingly。
Venters； with tingling pulse； with something growing on him； recognized in the faded miniature portrait the eyes of Milly Erne。
〃Yes； that's Milly；〃 said Lassiter； softly。 〃Bess； did you ever see her facelook hardwith all your heart an' soul？〃
〃The eyes seem to haunt me；〃 whispered Bess。 〃Oh； I can't remember they're eyes of my dreamsbutbut〃
Lassiter's strong arm went round her and he bent his head。
〃Child； I thought you'd remember her eyes。 They're the same beautiful eyes you'd see if you looked in a mirror or a clear spring。 They're your mother's eyes。 You are Milly Erne's child。 Your name is Elizabeth Erne。 You're not Oldring's daughter。 You're the daughter of Frank Erne； a man once my best friend。 Look！ Here's his picture beside Milly's。 He was handsome； an' as fine an' gallant a Southern gentleman as I ever seen。 Frank came of an old family。 You come of the best of blood； lass； and blood tells。〃
Bess slipped through his arm to her knees and hugged the locket to her bosom； and lifted wonderful； yearning eyes。
〃Itcan'tbetrue！〃
〃Thank God； lass； it is true；〃 replied Lassiter。 〃Jane an' Bern herethey both recognize Milly。 They see Milly in you。 They're so knocked out they can't tell you； that's all。〃
〃Who are you？〃 whispered Bess。
〃I reckon I'm Milly's brother an' your uncle！。。。Uncle Jim！ Ain't that fine？〃
〃Oh； I can't believeDon't raise me！ Bern； let me kneel。 I see truth in your facein Miss Withersteen's。 But let me hear it allall on my knees。 Tell me how it's true！〃
〃Well； Elizabeth； listen；〃 said Lassiter。 〃Before you was born your father made a mortal enemy of a Mormon named Dyer。 They was both ministers an' come to be rivals。 Dyer stole your mother away from her home。 She gave birth to you in Texas eighteen years ago。 Then she was taken to Utah； from place to place； an' finally to the last border settlementCottonwoods。 You was about three years old when you was taken away from Milly。 She never knew what had become of you。 But she lived a good while hopin' and prayin' to have you again。 Then she gave up an' died。 An' I may as well put in here your father died ten years ago。 Well； I spent my time tracin' Milly； an' some months back I landed in Cottonwoods。 An' jest lately I learned all about you。 I had a talk with Oldrin' an' told him you was dead； an' he told me what I had so long been wantin' to know。 It was Dyer； of course； who stole you from Milly。 Part reason he was sore because Milly refused to give you Mormon teachin'； but mostly he still hated Frank Erne so infernally that he made a deal with Oldrin' to take you an' bring you up as an infamous rustler an' rustler's girl。 The idea was to break Frank Erne's heart if he ever came to Utahto show him his daughter with a band of low rustlers。 WellOldrin' took you； brought you up from childhood； an' then made you his Masked Rider。 He made you infamous。 He kept that part of the contract； but he learned to love you as a daughter an' never let any but his own men know you was a girl。 I heard him say that with my own ears； an' I saw his big eyes grow dim。 He told me how he had guarded you always； kept you locked up in his absence； was always at your side or near you on those rides that made you famous on the sage。 He said he an' an old rustler whom he trusted had taught you how to read an' write。 They selected the books for you。 Dyer had wanted you brought up the vilest of the vile！ An' Oldrin' brought you up the innocentest of the innocent。 He said you didn't know what vileness was。 I can hear his big voice tremble now as he said it。 He told me how the menrustlers an' outlawswho from time to time tried to approach you familiarlyhe told me how he shot them dead。 I'm tellin' you this 'specially because you've showed such shamesayin' you was nameless an' all that。 Nothin' on earth can be wronger than