k. Remorse was heavy on
her for the injustice she had done Macdonald that day, and shame for
her sharp words bowed her head as she rode at old Tom Lassiter's
hand.

"He'll run the old devil down ag'in," Tom spoke confidently, as of a
thing that admitted no dispute, "and take that young woman home if he
finds her livin'. Many thanks he'll git for it from them and her. Like
as not she'll bite the hand that saves her, for she's a cub of the old
bear. Well, let me tell you, colonel's daughter, if she was to live a
thousand years, and pray all her life, she wouldn't no more than be
worthy at the end to wash that man's feet with her tears and dry 'em
on her hair, like that poor soul you've read about in the Book."

Frances slowed her horse as if overcome by a sudden indecision, and
turned in her saddle to look back again. Again she had let him go away
from her misunderstood, his high pride hurt, his independent heart too
lofty to bend down to the mean adjustment to be reached through
argument or explanation. One must accept Alan Macdonald for what his
face proclaimed him to be. She knew that now. He was not of the
mean-spirited who walk among men making apology for their lives.

"He's gone on," said Lassiter, slowing his horse to her pace.

"I'm afraid I was hasty and unjust," she confessed, struggling to hold
back her tears.

"Yes, you was," said Lassiter, frankly, "but everybody on the outside
is unjust to all of us up here. We're kind of outcasts because we
fence the land and plow it. But I want to tell you, Macdonald's a man
amongst men, ma'am. He's fed the poor and lifted up the afflicted, and
he's watched with us beside our sick and prayed with us over our dead.
We know him, no matter what folks on the outside say. Well, we'll have
to spur up a little, ma'am, for we're in a hurry to git back."

They approached the point where the road to the post branched.

"There's goin' to be fightin' over here if Chadron tries to drive us
out," Tom said, "and we know he's sent for men to come in and help him
try it. We don't want to fight, but men that won't fight for their
homes ain't the kind you'd like to ride along the road with, ma'am."

"Maybe the trouble can be settled some other way," she suggested,
thinking again of the hope that she had brought with her to the ranch
the day before.

"When we bring the law in here, and elect officers to see it put in
force for every man alike, then this trouble it'll come to an end