last Christmas. What do I want more? specially when there's this warm
jacket you made me take, for a cold night's ride. Isn't it enough,
mother, dear?"

"Quite, I think, else I should have made you delay till I could have
provided more. Be sure to write me, now and then. One of the men will
ride to the post every few days and fetch any letters. Good-by, and
now--go quickly!"

She added no prayers, for these were too deep in her heart for outward
utterance; but she felt her own courage ebbing, and that if the parting
were not speedy she could not at all endure it. Until that moment she had
not realized how complete was her dependence upon Jessica's protecting
tenderness; and turning, toward her home hid thus the tears she would not
have her daughter see.

But neither could Lady Jess have seen them, because of the sudden mist in
her own. All her eagerness for the journey was gone, and her courage was
fast following it. If the start were not made at once it would never be.

"Good-by, mother. Good-by, all! Come, Ephraim! Go, go--Scruff!"

A moment later the travelers were disappearing down the sandy road, and
upon those whom they had left behind had fallen an intolerable burden of
foreboding and loneliness.

"Desolation of desolations! That's what this old ranch'll be till
that there little bunch of human sunshine comes safely back to it. A
crazy trip, a crazy parcel of folks to let her take it. That's what we
are," said John Benton, savagely kicking the horseblock to vent his
painful emotion.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! And I never remembered to put in that guava jell!"
moaned a voice of woe.

"Then, mother, just trot it out to us for dinner," said her son,
"we'll take that burden off your mind."

"You will? Have you a heart to eat good victuals, John Benton, when that
sweet child has just thrust herself into a den of lions, and lawyers, and
liars, and--and--things?"

"Oh, hush! Lions! The notion!"

"Well, you can't deny there's bears, anyway," she retorted, with
ready dolefulness. "Ephy's shot 'em himself in his younger days."

"And ended the crop. Now you go in; and if I hear you downhearting the
mistress the least bit I'll make you take a dose of your own picra,"
said this much-tried man.

CHAPTER XIV

THE FINISH

It was a journey of something more than two hundred miles and they were
almost a week on the way; riding for several hours each morning and
evening; camping in some well-watered spot at