unlooked…for　onset。　　Then　she　thought　of　the　barn。　　It　would　be　a
  rallying…point　for　them　if　driven　backa　tower　of　defence　if
  besieged。　　There　were　arms　secreted　beneath　the　hay　for　such　an
  emergency。　　She　would　run　there；　swing…to　its　open　doors；　and　get
  ready　to　barricade　them。
  She　ran　crouchingly；　seeking　the　higher　grasses　and　brambles　of　the
  ridge　to　escape　observation　from　the　meadow　until　she　could　descend
  upon　the　barn　from　the　rear。　　She　threw　aside　her　impeding　shawl；
  her　brown　holland　sun…bonnet；　torn　off　her　head　and　hanging　by　its
  strings　from　her　shoulders；　let　her　coarse　silver…threaded　hair
  stream　like　a　mane　over　her　back；　her　face　and　hands　were　bleeding
  from　thorns　and　whitened　by　dust。　　But　she　struggled　on　fiercely
  like　some　hunted　animal　until　she　reached　the　descending　trail；
  when；　letting　herself　go　blindly；　only　withheld　by　the　long　grasses
  she　clutched　at　wildly　on　either　side；　she　half　fell；　half　stumbled
  down　the　slope　and　emerged　beside　the　barn；　breathless　and　exhausted。
  But　what　a　contrast　was　there！　　For　an　instant　she　could　scarcely
  believe　that　she　had　left　the　ridge　with　her　husband's　savage
  outcry　in　her　ears；　and　in　her　eyes　the　swift　vision　of　his　furious
  cavalcade。　　The　boundary　meadow　was　hidden　by　the　soft　lines　of
  graceful　willows　in　whose　dim　recesses　the　figures　of　the
  passionate　horsemen　seemed　to　have　melted　forever。　　There　was
  nothing　now　to　interrupt　the　long　vista　of　peaceful　beauty　that
  stretched　before　her　through　this　lonely　hollow　to　the　distant
  sleeping　hills。　　The　bursting　barn　in　the　foreground；　heaped　with
  grain　that　fringed　its　eaves　and　bristled　from　its　windows　and
  doors　until　its　unlovely　bulk　was　hidden　in　trailing　feathery
  outlines；　the　gentle　flutter　of　wings　and　soothing　twitter　of
  swallows　and　jays　around　its　open　rafters；　and　the　drifting　shadows
  of　a　few　circling　crows　above　it；　the　drowsy　song　of　bees　on　the
  wild　mustard　that　half　hid　its　walls　with　yellow　bloom；　the　sound
  of　faintly…trickling　water　in　one　of　those　old　Indian…haunted
  springs　that　had　given　its　name　to　the　locality；　all　these　for　an
  instant　touched　the　senses　of　this　hard；　fierce　woman　as　she　had
  not　been　touched　since　she　was　a　girl。　　For　one　brief　moment　the
  joys　of　peace　and　that　matured　repose　that　never　had　been　hers
  flashed　upon　her；　but　with　it　came　the　savage　consciousness　that
  even　now　it　was　being　wrested　away；　and　the　thought　fired　her　blood
  again。　　She　listened　eagerly　for　a　second　in　the　direction　of　the
  meadow；　there　was　no　report　of　fire…armsthere　was　yet　time　to
  prepare　the　barn　for　defence。　　She　ran　to　the　front　of　the　building
  and　seized　the　latch　of　the　half…closed　door。　　A　little　feminine
  cry　that　was　half　a　laugh　came　from　within；　with　the　rapid　rustle
  of　a　skirt　and　as　the　door　swung　open　a　light　figure　vanished
  through　the　rear　window。　　The　slanting　sunlight　falling　in　the
  shadowed　interior　disclosed　only　the　single　erect　figure　of　the
  school…master　John　Ford。
  The　first　confusion　and　embarrassment　of　an　interrupted　rendezvous
  that　had　colored　Ford's　cheeks；　gave　way　to　a　look　of　alarm　as　he
  caught　sight　of　the　bleeding　face　and　dishevelled　figure　of　Mrs。
  McKinstry。　　She　saw　it。　　To　her　distorted　fancy　it　seemed　only　a
  proof　of　deeper　guilt。　　Without　a　word　she　closed　the　heavy　door
  behind　her　and　swung　the　huge　cross…bar　unaided　to　its　place。　　She
  then　turned　and　confronted　him；　wiping　the　dust　from　her　face　and
  arms　with　her　torn　and　dangling　sun…bonnet　in　a　way　that　recalled
  her　attitude　on　the　first　day　he　had　met　her。
  〃That　was　Cress　with　ye？〃　she　said。
  He　hesitated；　still　gazing　at　her　in　wonder。
  〃Don't　lie。〃
  He　started。　　〃I　don't　propose　to；〃　he　retorted　indignantly。　　〃It
  was〃
  〃I　don't　ask　ye　how　long　this　yer's　bin　goin'　on；〃　she　said；
  pointing　to　Cressy's　sun…bonnet；　a　few　books；　and　a　scattered
  nosegay　of　wild　flowers　lying　on　the　hay；　〃and　I　don't　want　to
  know。　　In　five　minutes　either　her　father　will　be　here；　or　them
  hell…hounds　of　Harrison's　who've　sold　him　out　will　swarm　round
  this　barn　to　git　possesshun。　　Ef　this　yer〃she　again　pointed
  contemptuously　to　the　objects　just　indicated〃means　that　you've
  cast　your　lot　with　US　and　kalkilate　to　take　our　bitter　with　our
  sweet；　ye'll　lift　up　that　stack　of　hay　and　bring　out　a　gun　to　help
  defend　it。　　Ef　you're　meanin'　anythin'　else；　Ford；　you'll　hide
  yourself　in　that　hay　till　Hiram　comes　and　has　time　enough　to　attend
  to　ye。〃
  〃And　if　I　choose　to　do　neither？〃　he　said　haughtily。
  She　looked　at　him　in　unutterable　scorn。　　〃There's　the　windertake
  it　while　there's　time；　afore　I　bar　it。　　Ef　you　see　Hiram；　tell　him
  ye　left　an　old　woman　behind　ye　to　defend　the　place　whar　you　uster
  hide　with　her　darter。〃
  Before　he　could　reply　there　was　a　distant　report；　followed　almost
  directly　by　another。　　With　a　movement　of　irritation　he　walked　to
  the　window；　turned　and　looked　at　herbolted　it；　and　came　back。
  〃Where's　that　gun？〃　he　said　almost　rudely。
  〃I　reckon's　that　would　fetch　ye；〃　she　said；　dragging　away　the　hay
  and　disclosing　a　long　trough…like　box　covered　with　tarpaulin。　　It
  proved　to　contain　powder；　shot；　and　two　guns。　　He　took　one。
  〃I　suppose　I　may　know　what　I　am　fighting　for？〃　he　said　dryly。
  〃Ye　might　say　'Cress'　ef　they〃indicating　the　direction　of　the
  reports〃happen　to　ask　ye；〃　she　returned　with　equal　sobriety。
  〃Jess　now　ye　kin　take　your　stand　up　thar　in　the　loft　and　see　what's
  comin'。〃
  He　did　not　linger；　but　climbed　to　the　place　assigned　him；　glad　to
  escape　the　company　of　the　woman　who　at　that　moment　he　almost　hated。
  In　his　unreflecting　passion　for　Cressy　he　had　always　evaded　the
  thought　of　this　relationship　or　propinquity；　the　mother　had
  recalled　it　to　him　in　a　way　that　imperilled　even　his　passion　for
  the　daughter；　his　mind　was　wholly　preoccupied　with　the　idiotic；
  exasperating；　and　utterly　hopeless　position　that　had　been　forced
  upon　him。　　In　the　bitterness　of　his　spirit　his　sense　of　personal
  danger　was　so　far　absorbed　that　he　speculated　on　the　chance
  bullet　in　the　melee　that　might　end　his　folly　and　relieve　him　of
  responsibility。　　Shut　up　in　a　barn　with　a　furious　woman；　in　a
  lawless　defence　of　questionable　rightswith　the　added　consciousness
  that　an　equally　questionable　passion　had　drawn　him　into　it；　and
  that　SHE　knew　itdeath　seemed　to　offer　the　only　escape　from　the
  explanation　he　could　never　give。　　If　another　sting　could　have　been
  added　it　was　the　absurd　conviction　that　Cressy　would　not　appreciate
  his　sacrifice；　but　was　perhaps　even　at　that　moment　calmly
  congratulating　herself　on　the　felicitousness　of　the　complication
  in　which　she　had　left　him。
  Suddenly　he　heard　a　shout　and　the　tramping　of　horse。　　The　sides　of
  the　loft　were　scantily　boarded　to　allow　the　extension　of　the　pent…
  up　grain；　and　between　the　interstices　Ford；　without　being　himself
  seen；　had　an　uninterrupted　view　of　the　plain　between　him　and　the
  line　of　willows。　　As　he　gazed；　five　men　hurriedly　issued　from　the
  extreme　left　and　ran　towards　the　barn。　　McKinstry　and　his　followers
  simultaneously　broke　from　the　same　covert　further　to　the　right　and
  galloped　forward　to　intercept　them。　　But　although　mounted；　the
  greater　distance　they　had　to　traverse　brought　them　to　the　rear　of
  the　building　only　as　the　Harrison　party　came　to　a　sudden　halt
  before　the　closed　and　barricaded　doors　of　the　usually　defenceless
  barn。　　The　discomfiture　of　the　latter　was　greeted　by　a　derisive
  shout　from　the　McKinstry　partyalbeit；　equally　astonished。　　But　in
  that　brief　moment　Ford　recognized　in　the　leader　of　the　Harrisons
  the　well…known　figure　of　the　Sheriff　of　Tuolumne。　　It　needed　only
  this　to　cap　the　climax　of　the　fatality　that　seemed　to　pursue　him。
  He　was　no　longer　a　lawless　opposer　of　equally　lawless　forces；　but
  he　was　actually　resisting　the　law　itself。　　He　understood　the
  situation　now。　　It　was　some　idiotic　blunder　of　Uncle　Ben's　that
  had　precipitated　this　attack。
  The　belligerents　had　already　cocked　their　weapons；　although　the
  barn　was　still　a　rampart　between　the　parties。　　But　an　adroit
  flanker　of　McKinstry's；　creeping　through　the　tall　mustard；　managed
  to　take　up　an　enfilading　position　as　the　Harrisons　advanced　to
  break　in　the　door。　　A　threatening　shout　from　the　ambuscaded
  partisans　caused　them　to　hurriedly　fall　back　towards　the　rear　of
  the　barn。　　There　was　a　pause；　and　then　began　the　usual　Homeric
  chaff；with　this　Western　difference　that　it　was　cunningly　intended
  to　draw　the　other's　fire。
  〃Why　don't　you　blaze　away　at　the　door；　you　　！　　It　won't
  hurt　ye！〃
  〃He's　afraid　the　bolt　will　shoot　back！〃　　Laughter　from　the
  McKinstrys。
  〃Come　outer　the　tall　grass　and　show　yourself；　you　black；　mud…eating
  gopher。〃
  〃He　can't。　　He's　dropped　his　grit　and　is　sarchin'　for　it。〃　　Goading
  laughter　from　the　Harrisons。
  Each　man　waited　for　that　single　shot　which　would　precipitate　the
  fight。　　Even　in　their　lawlessness　the　rude