Well, Garrison was tried, and must go to jail for a year. At the
end of that time he would be free. The girl Janie knew the day. Word
had come to her. She made everything ready. She knew her brothers were
watching--her three brothers and two other men who had tried to get her
love. She knew also that they five would carry on the feud against
the one man. So one night she took the best horse on the ranch and
started away towards Fort Micah. Alors, you know how she got to Guidon
Hill after two days' hard riding--enough to kill a man, and over fifty
yet to do. She was sure her brothers were on her track. But if she
could get to Fort Micah, and be married to Garrison before they came;
she wanted no more.
"There were only two horses of use at Hilton's Post then; all the rest
were away, or not fit for hard travel. There was my Tophet, and a lean
chestnut, with a long propelling gait, and not an ounce of loose skin on
him. There was but one way: the girl must get there. Allons, what is
the good? What is life without these things? The girl loves the man:
she must have him in spite of all. There was only Hilton and his wife
and me at the Post, and Hilton was lame from a fall, and one arm in a
sling. If the brothers followed, well, Hilton could not interfere--
he was a Company's man; but for myself, as I said, I was hungry for
adventure, I had an ache in my blood for something. I was tingling to
the toes, my heart was thumping in my throat.
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