“God bless you, Blake!  Yes, I’ll take you back.  And will you—­will you accept gold from me?”

“Miss Withersteen!”

“I just gave Judkins a bag of gold.  I’ll give you one.  If you will not take it you must not come back.  You might ride for me a few months—­ weeks—­days till the storm breaks.  Then you’d have nothing, and be in disgrace with your people.  We’ll forearm you against poverty, and me against endless regret.  I’ll give you gold which you can hide—­till some future time.”

“Well, if it pleases you,” replied Blake.  “But you know I never thought of pay.  Now, Miss Withersteen, one thing more.  I want to see this man Lassiter.  Is he here?”

“Yes, but, Blake—­what—­Need you see him?  Why?” asked Jane, instantly worried.  “I can speak to him—­tell him about you.”

“That won’t do.  I want to—­I’ve got to tell him myself.  Where is he?”

“Lassiter is with Mrs. Larkin.  She is ill.  I’ll call him,” answered Jane, and going to the door she softly called for the rider.  A faint, musical jingle preceded his step—­then his tall form crossed the threshold.

“Lassiter, here’s Blake, an old rider of mine.  He has come back to me and he wishes to speak to you.”

Blake’s brown face turned exceedingly pale.

“Yes, I had to speak to you,” he said, swiftly.  “My name’s Blake.  I’m a Mormon and a rider.  Lately I quit Miss Withersteen.  I’ve come to beg her to take me back.  Now I don’t know you; but I know—­what you are.  So I’ve this to say to your face.  It would never occur to this woman to imagine—­let alone suspect me to be a spy.  She couldn’t think it might just be a low plot to come here and shoot you in the back.  Jane Withersteen hasn’t that kind of a mind....Well, I’ve not come for that.  I want to help her—­to pull a bridle along with Judkins and—­and you.  The thing is—­do you believe me?”

“I reckon I do,” replied Lassiter.  How this slow, cool speech contrasted with Blake’s hot, impulsive words!  “You might have saved some of your breath.  See here, Blake, cinch this in your mind.  Lassiter has met some square Mormons!  An’ mebbe—­”

“Blake,” interrupted Jane, nervously anxious to terminate a colloquy that she perceived was an ordeal for him.  “Go at once and fetch me a report of my horses.”

“Miss Withersteen!...You mean the big drove—­down in the sage-cleared fields?”

“Of course,” replied Jane.  “My horses are all there, except the blooded stock I keep here.”

“Haven’t you heard—­then?”

“Heard?  No!  What’s happened to them?”

“They’re gone, Miss Withersteen, gone these ten days past.  Dorn told me, and I rode down to see for myself.”

“Lassiter—­did you know?” asked Jane, whirling to him.

“I reckon so....But what was the use to tell you?”

It was Lassiter turning away his face and Blake studying the stone flags at his feet that brought Jane to the understanding of what she betrayed.  She strove desperately, but she could not rise immediately from such a blow.