Buthereshewasagain“outofajob，“astheVirginiansaid。
“She’sraisedthempuppiesforthattriflin’setter，andnowshe’llbehuntin’aroundforsomethingelseusefultodothatain’tinherbusiness。
Nowtherewereotherbroodsofchickenstoarriveinthehen-house，andIdidnotdesireanymorebantamandturkeyperformances。So，toavoidconfusion，IplayedatrickuponEm’ly。IwentdowntoSunkCreekandfetchedsomesmooth，ovalstones。Shewasquitesatisfiedwiththese，andpassedaquietdaywiththeminabox。Thiswasnotfair，theVirginianasserted。
“Youain’tgoingtojus’leaveherfooledthata-way？“
Ididnotseewhynot。
“Why，sheraisedthempuppiesallright。Ain’tsheshowedsheknowshowtobeamotheranyways？Em’lyain’tgoingtogethertimetookupfornothingwhileI’mroundhyeh，“saidthecowpuncher。
HelaidagentleholdofEm’lyandtossedhertotheground。She，ofcourse，rushedoutamongthecorralsinagreatstateofnerves。
“Idon’tseewhatgoodyoudomeddling，“Iprotested。
Tothishedeignednoreply，butremovedtheunresponsivestonesfromthestraw。
“Why，iftheyain’trightwarm！“heexclaimedplaintively。“Thepoor，deludedson-of-a-gun！“Andwiththisunusualdescriptionofalady，hesentthestonessailinglikealineofbirds。“I’mregulargettingstuckonEm’ly，“continuedtheVirginian。“Yu’
needn’ttolaugh。Don’tyu’seeshe’sgotsorto’humanfeelin’sanddesires？Ialwaysknowedhawsseswaslikepeople，andmycollie，ofcourse。Itiskindoffoolish，Iexpect，butthathen’sgoin’tohavearealaiggdi-rectly，rightnow，toseton。“
Withthisheremovedonefrombeneathanotherhen。“We’llhaveEm’lyraisethishyeh，“saidhe，“soshecanputinhertimeprofitable。“
Itwasnotaccomplishedatonce；forEm’ly，singularlyenough，wouldnotconsenttostayintheboxwhenceshehadbeenrouted。
Atlengthwefoundanotherretreatforher，andinthesenewsurroundings，withanewpieceofworkforhertodo，Em’lysatontheoneeggwhichtheVirginianhadsocarefullyprovidedforher。
Thus，asinallgenuinetragedies，wasthestrokeofFatewroughtbychanceandthebestintentions。
Em’lybegansittingonFridayafternoonnearsundown。Earlynextmorningmysleepwasgraduallydispersedbyasoundunearthlyandcontinuous。Nowitdwindled，recedingtoadistance；againitcamenear，tookaturn，driftedtotheothersideofthehouse；
then，evidently，whateveritwas，passedmydoorclose，andI
jumpeduprightinmybed。Thehigh，tensestrainofvibration，nearly，butnotquite，amusicalnote，waslikethethreateningscreamofmachinery，thoughweaker，andIboundedoutofthehouseinmypajamas。
TherewasEm’ly，dishevelled，walkingwildlyabout，heroneeggmiraculouslyhatchedwithintenhours。Thelittlelonelyyellowballofdownwentcheepingalongbehind，followingitsmotherasbestitcould。What，then，hadhappenedtotheestablishedperiodofincubation？Foraninstantthethingwaslikeaportent，andI
wasnearjoiningEm’lyinherhorridsurprise，whenIsawhowitallwas。TheVirginianhadtakenaneggfromahenwhichhadalreadybeensittingforthreeweeks。
Idressedinhaste，hearingEm’ly’sdistractedoutcry。Itsteadilysounded，withoutperceptiblepauseforbreath，andmarkedhererraticjourneybackandforththroughstables，lanes，andcorrals。Theshrilldisturbancebroughtallofusouttoseeher，andinthehen-houseIdiscoveredthenewbroodmakingitsappearancepunctually。
Butthisnaturalexplanationcouldnotbemadetothecrazedhen。
Shecontinuedtoscourthepremises，herslanttailanditsonepreposterousfeatherwavingassheaimlesslywent，herstoutlegssteppinghighwithanunnaturalmotion，herheadliftednearlyoffherneck，andinherbrilliantyelloweyeanexpressionofmorethanoutrageatthisoverturningofanaturallaw。Behindher，entirelyignoredandneglected，trailedthelittleprogeny。
Sheneverlookedatit。Wewentaboutourvariousaffairs，andallthroughtheclear，sunnydaythatunendingmetallicscreampervadedthepremises。TheVirginianputoutfoodandwaterforher，butshetastednothing。Iamgladtosaythatthelittlechickendid。Idonotthinkthatthehen’seyescouldsee，exceptinthewaythatsleep-walkers’do。
Theheatwentoutoftheair，andinthecanyonthevioletlightbegantoshow。Manyhourshadgone，butEm’lyneverceased。Nowshesuddenlyflewupinatreeandsattherewithhernoisestillgoing；butithadrisenlatelyseveralnotesintoaslim，acutelevelofterror，andwasnotlikemachineryanymore，norlikeanysoundIeverheardbeforeorsince。Belowthetreestoodthebewilderedlittlechicken，cheeping，andmakingtinyjumpstoreachitsmother。
“Yes，“saidtheVirginian，“it’scomical。Evenheraiggacteddifferentfromanybodyelse’s。“Hepaused，andlookedacrossthewide，mellowingplainwiththeexpressionofeasy-goinggravitysocommonwithhim。ThenhelookedatEm’lyinthetreeandtheyellowchicken。
“Itain’tsodamnedfunny，“saidhe。
Wewentintosupper，andIcameouttofindthehenlyingontheground，dead。Itookthechickentothefamilyinthehen-house。
No，itwasnotaltogetherfunnyanymore。AndIdidnotthinklessoftheVirginianwhenIcameuponhimsurreptitiouslydiggingalittleholeinthefieldforher。
“Ihaveburiedsomecitizenshereandthere，saidhe，“thatI
haverespectedless。“
AndwhenthetimecameformetoleaveSunkCreek，mylastwordtotheVirginianwas，“Don’tforgetEm’ly。“
“Iain’tlikelyto，“respondedthecow-puncher。“Sheisjustoneo’themparables。“
Savewhenhefellintohisnativeidioms(which，theytoldme，hiswanderingshadwell-nighobliterateduntilthatyear’svisittohishomeagainrevivedtheminhisspeech)，hehadnowforalongwhiledroppedthe“seh，“andallotherbarriersbetweenus。
Wewerethoroughfriends，andhadexchangedmanyconfidencesbothofthefleshandofthespirit。HeevenwentthelengthofsayingthathewouldwritemetheSunkCreeknewsifIwouldsendhimalinenowandthen。Ihavemanylettersfromhimnow。Theirspellingcametobefaultless，andinthebeginningwaslittleworsethanGeorgeWashington’s。
TheJudgehimselfdrovemetotherailroadbyanotherway——acrosstheBowLegMountains，andsouththroughBalaam’sRanchandDrybonetoRockCreek。
“I’llbeveryhomesick，“Itoldhim。
“Comeandpullthelatch-stringwheneveryouplease，hebademe。
IwishedthatImight！Nolotuslandevercastitsspelluponman’sheartmorethanWyominghadenchantedmine。
“DearFriend[thusinthespringtheVirginianwroteme]，Yoursreceived。Itmustbeapoorthingtobesick。ThattimeIwasshotatCanadadeOrowouldhavemademesickifithadbeenalittellowerorifIwasmuchofadrinkingman。YouwillbewellifyougiveovercitylifeandtakeahuntwithmeaboutAugustorsaySeptemberforthentheelkwillbeoutofthevelvett。
“ThingsdonotpleasemeherejustnowandIamgoingtosettelitbyvamosing。ButIwouldbegladtoseeyou。Itwouldbepleasurenotbusinessformetoshowyouplentyelkandgetyoustrong。IamnotcrybabyingtotheJudgeormakinganykickaboutthings。Hewillwantmebackafterhehasswallowedalittertinctureoftime。ItisthebestdoseIknow。
“Nowtoansweryourquestions。YestheEmmilyhenmighthaveatelocoweedifhensdo。Ineversawanythingbutstockandhorsesgetpoisonedwithlocoweed。Notheschoolisnotbuiltyet。TheyarealwaysbigtalkersonBearCreek。NoIhavenotseenSteve。
HeisaroundbutIamsorryforhim。YesIhavebeentoMedicineBow。IhadthewelcomIwanted。DoyourememberamanIplayedpokerandhedidnotlikeit？HeisworkingontheupperranchnearTenSleep。Hedoesnotamounttoathingexceptwithweaklings。UncleHewiehastwins。Theboysgothimvexedsomeaboutit，butIthinktheyarehis。NowthatisallIknowto-dayandIwouldliketoseeyoupocopresentlyastheysayatLosCruces。There’snosenseinyoubeingsick。“
TherestofthisletterdiscussedthebestmeetingpointforusshouldIdecidetojoinhimforahunt。
Thathuntwasmade，andduringtheweeksofitsdurationsomethingwassaidtoexplainalittlemorefullytheVirginian’sdifficultyattheSunkCreekRanch，andhisreasonforleavinghisexcellentemployertheJudge。Notmuchwassaid，tobesure；
theVirginianseldomspentmanywordsuponhisowntroubles。Butitappearedthatowingtosomejealousyofhimonthepartoftheforeman，ortheassistantforeman，hefoundhimselfcontinuallydoinganotherman’swork，butundercircumstancessoskilfullyarrangedthathegotneithercreditnorpayforit。Hewouldnotstooptotellingtalesoutofschool。Thereforehisreadyandpropheticminddevisedthesimpleexpedientofgoingawayaltogether。HecalculatedthatJudgeHenrywouldgraduallyperceivetherewasaconnectionbetweenhisdepartureandthecessationofthesatisfactorywork。AfterajudiciousintervalitwashisplantoappearagainintheneighborhoodofSunkCreekandawaitresults。
ConcerningStevehewouldsaynomorethanhehadwritten。Butitwasplainthatforsomecausethisfriendshiphadceased。
Moneyforhisservicesduringthehunthepositivelydeclinedtoaccept，assertingthathehadnotworkedenoughtoearnhisboard。AndtheexpeditionendedinanuntravelledcorneroftheYellowstonePark，nearPitchstoneCanyon，whereheandyoungLinMcLeanandotherswerewitnessesofasadandterribledramathathasbeenelsewherechronicled。
HispropheticmindhadforeseencorrectlytheshapeofeventsatSunkCreek。TheonlythingthatithadnotforeseenwastheimpressiontobemadeupontheJudge’smindbyhisconduct。
Towardthecloseofthatwinter，JudgeandMrs。HenryvisitedtheEast。Throughthemanumberofthingsbecamerevealed。TheVirginianwasbackatSunkCreek。
“And，“saidMrs。Henry，“hewouldneverhaveleftyouifIhadhadmyway，JudgeH。！“
“No，MadamJudge，“retortedherhusband；“Iamawareofthat。Foryouhavealwaysappreciatedafineappearanceinaman。“
“Icertainlyhave，“confessedthelady，mirthfully。“Andthewayheusedtocomebringingmyhorse，withtheridgesofhisblackhairsocarefullybrushedandthatbluespottedhandkerchieftiedsoeffectivelyroundhisthroat，wassomethingthatImissedagreatdealafterhewentaway。“
“Thankyou，mydear，forthiswarning。Ihaveplansthatwillkeephimabsentquiteconstantlyforthefuture。“
Andthentheyspokelessflightily。“Ialwaysknew，“saidthelady，“thatyouhadfoundatreasurewhenthatmancame。“
TheJudgelaughed。“Whenitdawnedonme，“hesaid，“howcleverlyhecausedmetolearnthevalueofhisservicesbydeprivingmeofthem，Idoubtedwhetheritwassafetotakehimback。“
“Safe！“criedMrs。Henry。
“Safe，mydear。BecauseI’mafraidheisprettynearlyasshrewdasIam。Andthat’sratherdangerousinasubordinate。“TheJudgelaughedagain。“ButhisactionregardingthemantheycallStevehasmademefeeleasy。“
AndthenitcameoutthattheVirginianwassupposedtohavediscoveredinsomewaythatStevehadfallenfromthegraceofthatparticularhonestywhichrespectsanotherman’scattle。Itwasnotknownforcertain。ButcalveshadbeguntodisappearinCattleLand，andcowshadbeenfoundkilled。Andcalveswithonebranduponthemhadbeenfoundwithmothersthatborethebrandofanotherowner。ThisindustrywastakingrootinCattleLand，andofthosewhopractisedit，somewerebeginningtobesuspected。Stevewasnotquitefullysuspectedyet。ButthattheVirginianhadpartedcompanywithhimwasdefinitelyknown。Andneithermanwouldtalkaboutit。
TherewasthefurthernewsthattheBearCreekschoolhouseatlengthstoodcomplete，floor，walls，androof；andthataladyfromBennington，Vermont，afriendofMrs。Balaam’s，hadquitesuddenlydecidedthatshewouldtryherhandatinstructingthenewgeneration。
TheJudgeandMrs。HenryknewthisbecauseMrs。BalaamhadtoldthemofherdisappointmentthatshewouldbeabsentfromtheranchonButteCreekwhenherfriendarrived，andthereforeunabletoentertainher。Thefriend’sdecisionhadbeenquitesuddenlymade，andmustformthesubjectofthenextchapter。
