She dressed herself and went out among her people, quiet and pale.
The twilight had fallen and all the western part of the Valley was blue with shadow. Only on Kenset’s foothills was the rosy light glowing, a tragic, aching light, it seemed to her. She saw all the little world of Lost Valley with new eyes, sombre eyes, in which there was no sense of its beauty. She wondered anxiously how soon she could meet Courtrey, and where. And then with the suddenness of an ordered play, the question was answered for her, for out of the dusk and 232 the purple shadows a Pomo rider came on a running pony and halted out a stone’s throw, calling for the “Señorita,” his hands held up in token of friendliness.
Without a thought of treachery Tharon went out to him and took the letter he handed her––swinging around for flight as the paper left his hand, for the riders of Last’s were known all up and down the land. This dusky messenger took no chances he could avoid. He was well down along the slope by the time the boys came clanking around the house.
And Tharon, standing in the twilight like a slim white ghost, was staring over their heads, her lips ashen, the scrawled letter trembling in her hands. For this is what she read, straining her young eyes in the fading light.
“Tharon. You must know by now that I mean bisness. All this Vigilant bisness ain’t a-goin’ to help things eny. If it hadn’t of ben that I love you, what you think I’d a-done to that bunch? That’s th’ truth. I ben holdin’ off thinkin’ you’d come to your senses an’ see that Buck Courtrey ain’t to be met with vilence. Now I’m playin’ my trump card––now, tonight.
“Lola says you love this dude from below. That don’t cut no ice with me. I ain’t carin’ for 233 no love from you at present. All I want is you. I can make you love me once I’ve got you safe at th’ Stronghold. I ain’t never failed with no woman yet. An’ I mean to have you, fair means or foul.
“Rather have you fair. So here’s my last word.
“This Kenset ain’t dead––yet. I went and took him. I’ve got him safe as hell in the Cañon Country. Ain’t no man in th’ Valley can find God’s Cup but me. He’s guarded an’ there’s a lookout on th’ peak above th’ Cup that can see a signal fire at th’ Stronghold. One fire out by my big corral means ‘Send him out by False Ridge with ten days’ grub.’ Two fires means ‘Put a true bullet in his head an’ leave him there.’ Now, here’s the word. I’ve got a case fixed up to divorce Ellen, legal. If you’ll marry me soon’s I’m free, I’ll build one fire out by that corral.
“If you say yes, you build one fire out by th’ cottonwoods to th’ left of the Holdin’. I’m watchin’ an’ will see it at once. You can see for yourself I mean bisness, as if you’ll watch too, you’ll see that one fire here.
Courtrey.”