She forgot the child at her knee.
“His enemies——” she was muttering to herself, “and mine—they got him—at last—just as they tried to get me—and Jehoshaphat rose and went against his enemies—and the Lord was with him—I—I—Bud, give me that gun.”
She took the rifle out of his hands with a savage motion and went from the cabin, swaying like a drunkard.
At the corner of the stable she came face to face with Fair, who was just coming up from the river on Diamond.
She stopped and stared at him like one in a daze.
“You?” she said presently. “You—Brand?”
The man saw at once that there was something gravely wrong and dismounted quickly.
He came forward and laid a hand on hers where it grasped the weapon.
“Sure—my dear,” he said carefully, “don’t look so, Nance—I’m all right. Let me have this,” and took the gun away.
He put his right arm gently around her and looked over her head at her brother.