upon their peace and quiet in this fashion! It was
all too bad!

The rangers turned away from the scene. All
save the woman set out across the settlement,
returning to the camp in silence. Seated once
more, they fell to discussing this situation. And
discussing the tragedy, they reverted to Stephen
and his own troubles, light in comparison. They
themselves, they acknowledged, had their work
all cut out for them. It was what they got their
money for. But there was hardly any use, they
pointed out, in Stephen's accompanying them on
this mission. Yet he could go if he wanted to.
What did he say?

And Stephen, gazing off thoughtfully toward
the tiny mound of fresh earth, and seeing the little
woman prostrated with grief upon the grave,
knew that Helen, herself bitter with loss, and no
doubt needing Pat as much almost as this woman
needed her own lost one, would have him do what
he wanted to do. And what he wanted to do, felt
as if he must do, was to accompany these men,
go with them, disabled though he was, and help
as best he could to bring down retribution upon
the renegades. And he made known his wishes
to the others, finally, expressing them with a
note of determination.

As they bridled and saddled, leaving all equipment
not actually required, the proprietor of the
store, his small eyes eager, stood close and frequently
repeated his opinion that murder in
even more gruesome form had been committed

[[233]]

p232 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p233w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p234

v?