Judith of Blue Lake Ranch | Page 6

at the thought of the boys taking orders from a
little slip of a girl. Inside he was chuckling, vastly delighted with the
comedy of the morning.
"She's a sure-enough little wonder-bird, all right," he mused. "But, say,
what does she want to butt in on a man's-size job for, I want to know?"
"Lee," called Trevors, "you take orders from me or no one on this ranch.
You can go now. And just keep your mouth shut."
Bud Lee stood there in the doorway, his hat spinning upon a brown
forefinger, his thoughts his own. He was turning to go out and down to
his horse when he saw the look in Trevors's eyes, a look of consuming
rage. The general manager's voice had been hoarse.
"I guess," said Lee quietly, "that I'll stick around until you two get
through quarrelling. I might come in handy somehow."
"Damn you," shouted Trevors, "get out!"
"Cut out the swear-words, Trevors," said Lee with quiet sternness.
"There's a lady here."
"Lady!" scoffed Trevors. He laughed contemptuously. "Where's your
lady? That?" and he levelled a scornful finger at the girl. "A ranting
tough of a female who brings a breath of the stables with her and scolds
like a fishwife. . . ."
"Shut up!" said Lee, crossing the room with quick strides, his face
thrust forward a little.
"You shut up!" It was Judith's voice as Judith's hand fell upon Bud
Lee's shoulder, pushing him aside. "If I couldn't take care of myself do
you think I'd be fool enough to take over a job like running the Blue
Lake? Now--" and with blazing eyes she confronted Trevors--"if you've

got any more nice little things to say, suppose you say them to me!"
Trevors's temper had had ample provocation and now stood naked and
hot in his hard eyes. In a blind instant he laid his tongue to a word
which would have sent Bud Lee at his throat. But Judith stood between
them and, like an echo to the word, came the resounding slap as
Judith's open palm smote Trevors's cheek.
"You wildcat!" he cried. And his two big hands flew out, seeking her
shoulders.
"Stand back!" called Judith. "Just because you are bigger than I am,
don't make any mistake! Stand back, I tell you!"
Bud Lee marvelled at the swiftness with which her hand had gone into
her blouse and out again, a small-caliber revolver in the steady fingers
now. He had never known a man--himself possibly excepted--quicker
at the draw.
But Bayne Trevors, from whose make-up cowardice had been omitted,
laughed sneeringly at her and did not stand back. His two hands out
before him, his face crimson, he came on.
"Fool!" cried the girl. "Fool!"
Still he came on. Lee gathered himself to spring.
Judith fired. Once, and Trevors's right arm fell to his side. A second
time, and Trevors's left arm hung limp like the other. The crimson was
gone from his face now. It was dead white. Little beads of sweat began
to form on his brow.
Lee turned astonished eyes to Judith.
"Now you know who's running this outfit, don't you?" she said coolly.
"Lee, have a team hitched up to carry Trevors wherever he wants to go.
He's not hurt much; I just winged him. And then tell the cook about my
breakfast."

But Lee stood and looked at her. He had no remark to offer. Then he
turned to go upon her bidding. As he went down to the bunk-house he
said softly under his breath: "Well, I'm damned. I most certainly am!"

III
AND RIDES AN OUTLAW
Wrinkled, grizzled old half-breed José, his hands trembling with
eagerness, stood in the smaller rose-garden culling the perfect buds, a
joyous tear running its zigzag way down each cheek.
"La señorita ees come home!" he announced triumphantly as Lee drew
near on his way to the bunk-house. "Jesús Maria! Een my heart it is
like the singing of leetle birdies. Mira, señor. My flowers bloomin' the
brighter, already--no?"
Bud Lee paused. "So you know Miss Sanford then?" he asked.
José threw out his hands and opened his night-black eyes to their most
enormous extent. "Do I know God?" he demanded.
"Well," smiled Bud, "as to that. . . ."
"But, señor," cried the devout José, "like on holy days I feel that Dios
comes to sit down in the corner of my heart, so without seeing la
señorita I know she ees come home! She ees in the air like the light of
sun, like the sweetness of my roses!"
"You've known her a long time, Joe?"
"Seence she ees born!" and José, unashamed, wiped away a tear upon
the back of a leathery hand. "Señor Sanford and me, señor, we teach
her when she