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.When a turn of the trail hid her fromRandolph's sight she selected a soft place in the sand and slid off her horse,careful to make it look as if she had fallen.Presently she heard the hoofs of Randolph's horse padding closer.Then Janeymade herself look as much like a limp sack as she could.From under the brimof her sombrero she saw him come into sight.He gave a violent start.Leapingout of the saddle he ran to her.His action, his look were unaccountably sweetto Janey.It was hard to close her eyes.Evidently he stopped to gaze down upon her a moment, for there was a silence,then he knelt to lay a hand on her shoulder."Now, what's the matter?" he inquired, with more doubt than sympathy.Janey stirred and sat up."I fell off my horse," she said."What for?""Guess I got dizzy or something.You must have hurt me internally.Or Iwrenched my side--anyway I had a terrible pain.""That's too bad.I'm sorry.I never calculated on any weakness, physical ormental." He was studying her face with deep inscrutable eyes, and despite hiswords he was not sympathetic."Weak! Why I'm bordering on nervous collapse right now," returned Janey."Yes, I observed how weak you were--physically," he said."You could probablythrow me in a catch-as-catch-can wrestling match.And when you hit me on mynose--with your fist--well, you came very near being alone for a while."Janey gave him a searching look."Will you take me back to the post?""Certainly not.""But if I'm hurt or ill.""You're going to Beckyshibeta in any event.""Beckyshibeta? Why, that's a long way, you told me.""Sure.It's far away, and lonely too, believe me.No one will find us there.""How long do we--do you mean to keep me prisoner there?""I have no idea how long it will take for you to change--or die.""Oh!.Very well, you can bury me at Beckyshibeta," concluded Janey, gettingup wearily.She refused his proffered assistance, and made a fine effort at mounting, asif some of her bones were broken.And she rode on, thinking that theweak-sister stuff would not work with Phil Randolph.She must slowly recoverher strength and become a veritable amazon.Perhaps some accident would occurthat might be calculated to frighten even her, though she could not imaginewhat it could be.Then she would try the clinging vine.Even Phil Randolphwould fall for that.But it must be something over which a modern girl couldsafely lose her nerve.A terrible storm or a flood! Janey prayed for both.Phil Randolph must be reduced to a state of perfect misery.Janey rode on, gradually recovering her poise in the saddle.The canyon openedwide, with the walls far away.There were flats of green grass and cedargroves to cross.In one place she saw several deserted hogans.Indians hadlived there.She had a desire to peep in at the dark door, facing the east.The trail came to a point where it forked.Janey waited for Randolph to comeup."Which way, Sir Geraint?" she inquired."Left," he said."And I don't think you're a bit like Enid.She was meek.Besides she was Geraint's wife.""Well, Geraint drove Enid ahead, so she would encounter all the risks anddangers first.No doubt the similarity of our ride to theirs ends rightthere.""The only danger here, Miss Endicott, is the one I'm incurring.And it's toolate to avoid that."Page 33ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlDanger! What did he mean? Perhaps the wrath of the cowboys, for it was certainthey could not have been let into the secret.How would they take this stuntof Randolph's? Janey began to wonder why she had not thought of that before.True, they had ridden away with a herd of cattle, but they must return sooneror later, and find out.Here was a factor her father had not considered.Evenif he did have to tell them she knew the cowboys, especially Ray, would notstand for it.On the other hand, perhaps Randolph had meant the danger to belove of her.And he had said it was too late to avoid it.She was very glad,and if it were actually true she would see to it that he suffered more andmore.They took the left-hand fork of the trail and entered an interesting canyon,which narrowed until the crumbling walls seemed ready to tumble down upon her.Soon the trail became so rough that Janey had to pay heed to it and have acare for her horse.The ascent increased until it was steeper than any Janeyhad ridden.As she climbed, the trail took to a zigzag course up the slope andoften she could look directly down upon Randolph, who was not having the bestof luck with the pack animal.Presently it took Janey's breath to gaze down and she quit it.The trailsometimes led along a ledge so narrow that she wondered how the horse couldstick to it.But he never made a misstep or a slip, and appeared unconcernedabout the heights.Janey christened him Surefoot.At last the trail led up to a level again, from which Janey gazed back anddown at the red slope, the huge rocks, the slides of weathered stone, thecedars, and the winding dry stream bed at the bottom.Janey had to look awhileto locate Randolph.It was no trail for a pack horse, or rather the horse wasnot one for such a narrow steep obstructed trail.Randolph was walking,dragging at the animal.When he finally reached the summit he was red-facedand panting."I note the way of a transgressor is hard," observed Janey."Why--didn't you--run off?" he asked."I'd only have got lost.Besides I think it'd be unwise to leave thecommissary department.Also I have an absorbing desire to see what is going tohappen to you.""That'll be nothing compared to what's coming to you," he returned, as hemounted again."Oh, by the way, how is that internal injury I gave you?""It's better.But I can bear it for your sake, Phil.I want so much to helpyou make a success of this cradle-snatching stunt.""Say, you flatter yourself," he retorted."Well, yes, I'm not exactly an infant.But I'll be good practice for you, sothat later, when the tourists come, you may be able to manage some of thegirls pretty well.""Would you mind riding on, and not talking so much," he said, with asperity."I certainly wouldn't have waited for you, if there'd been any trail.But it'sdisappeared.""Ride straight toward those red rocks," he returned, pointing.Janey did as she was bidden, glad to be able once more to let her horse lookout for himself, so that she could attend to the surroundings.The sun wasslanting westward, toward a high wall that ran away to the northward.Thedesert stretched level ahead of her, with a horizon line matched by red rocks.Not far in front, a growth of purple brush began to show sparsely and tothicken in the distance.It was very fragrant and beautiful.Presently Janeyrecognized the fragrance of sage.Huge clouds had rolled up, and except in the west they were black and stormy.Dark curtains hung down from them to the floor of the desert.They must berain.The afternoon was hot and sultry, without a breath of wind.By and bythe clouds hid the sun and turned duskily red [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]