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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Venters realize the morning after the storm?

2. How did Oldring feel about Bess?

3. How do Venters and Bess know the storms are over?

4. Before Venters returns to Surprise Valley, what does Jane have for him?

5. After his time in Surprise Valley, Venters believes that it was wrong of Jane to love him. Why?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Venters shoots Oldring, Oldring tries to say something before he dies. What do you think he was trying to say? Why is Venters so upset when he talks to Bess on his return to Surprise Valley? What does he decide not to tell her at this point?

2. How did the loss of Milly affect Lassiter? He talks about traveling and going to the "bad." What did this mean and how is this connected to the loss of his sister?

3. In the race with Jerry Card, Venters appreciates Jerry's riding skill. What does Jerry Card do that is so impressive to Venters? Why is Venters proud of Jerry in that moment? What does he admire about Jerry during the race?

4. Judkins comes to tell Jane the white herd is missing. What happened to them? Who was lost? How does this compare to Lassiter's work earlier in the novel with the white herd?

5. When Lassiter returns from Surprise Valley, what do he and Jane discover about her horses? Why is this important? What does this mean to Jane and Lassiter?

6. What do Bess and Venters think about when they find human bone in the cliff dwellings?

7. Lassiter arrives in Surprise Valley and meets Bess. He studies her, and, then, suddenly rises to leave. What is Lassiter thinking? What do you think he has figured out about Bess?

8. The title of the book is used for the first time in Chapter 22 as Bess looks at the band of riders and calls them sage riders. What does this mean? How is this different that rustlers?

9. Why does Venters shoot Wrangle? Why didn't one of the men do this before now? What keeps them from shooting the horses?

10. Why is Jane packing a special package for Venters? What is this a symbol of? What do you think it means.?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare Venters's judgment of Bess to his judgment of Lassiter. Both Lassiter and Bess were knows for their evil past, but how does Venters view each person? What does this say about the character of Venters?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the final showdown between Oldring and Venters. What does this scene tell the reader about Bess? Is the connection between Bess and Lassiter and Jane made clear at this point? When does it become clear to the reader who Bess is and where she comes from?

Essay Topic 3

Is the character of Oldring good or bad? Describe the stories about Oldring that are bad. Describe the stories about Oldring that are good. In the end, how do you feel about this character? Can you imagine this story without him? Why? Why not?

(see the answer keys)

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