The Border Legion

iciently to undertake the journey to the main camp, Cabin Gulch. He was eager to get back there and imperious in his overruling of

thereby distracting his attention, he was entirely different from what he was when his men surrounded him. Apparently he had no knowledge of this. He showed surprise and gratitude at Joan's kindness t

s. The giant studied her with slow, cavernous stare, without curiosity or speculation or admiration. Evidently a woman was a new and strange creature to him and he was experiencing unfamiliar sensations. Whenever Joan accidentally met his gaze-for she avoided it as much as poss

ental life-self-preservation. Parallel in her heart and mind ran a hopeless despair and a driving, unquenchable spirit. The former was fear, the latter love. She believed beyond a doubt that she had doomed herself along with Jim

ple and direct in their rough feelings. But in Kells, Joan thought, was a character who was a product of this border wildness, yet one who could stand aloof from himself and see the possibilities, the unexpected, the meaning of that life. Kells knew that a man and yet another might show kindness and faithfulness one moment, but the very next, out of a manhood retrogra

renchy rode ahead; Gulden held to the rear. And this order was preserved till noon, when the cavalcade halted for a rest in a shady, grassy, and well-watered

t the trail appeared to get broader and better all the time. Joan noticed intersecting trails, running down from side c

e, holding him up. Joan observed that Gulden did not offer his services. He seemed a part of this gang, yet not of it. Joan never lost a feeling of his presence behind her, and from time to time,

at Kells was fainting. They laid him out on blankets, with his head in his saddle

with wood to cut and fire to build and meal to

nt, "I'm only tired-dead for sleep. You st

instant and growing. At first they were bold, then familiar and coarse. For years she had been used to rough men of the camps. These however, were different, and their jokes and suggestions had no effect because they were beyond her. And when this became manifest to them that aspect of their relation to her changed. She grasped the fact intuitively, and then she verified it by proof. Her heart beat strong and high. If she could hide her ha

eased, stirred at being in her vicinity. Joan came to a melancholy and fearful cognizance of her attraction. While at home she seldom had borne upon her a reality-that she was a woman. Her place, her person were merely natural. Here it was all different. To

pper and said: "I'll go hobble

ved he had not thought of the significance. Hardened old ruffian that he was. Joan regard

go," add

'll go myself,

Suddenly she heard two or more of the men speak at once, and then, low an

aked, her knees shook, and she was ready to run back. Gulden halted, then tu

inued Pearce, deliberately. "Be

y now she would have plunged into the thickets like a frightened deer. Evidently, however, they meant to let her alone. Joan found her horse, and before hobbling him she was assailed b

f of catastrophe. Nevertheless, she did not feel free or safe for a moment; she peered fearfully into the shadows of the rocks and trees; and presently it was a relief to get back to the side of the sleeping Kells. He lay in a

id twice the work of any man, especially the heavy work. He seemed to enjoy carrying a log that would have overweighted two ordinary men. He was so huge, so active, so powerful that it was fascinating to watch him. They b

had been injected into the attitude of each. Intuitively Joan guessed that Gulden's arising to follow her had turned their eyes inward. Gulden remained silent and inactive at the edge of the camp-fire circle of light, which flickered fitfully around him, making him seem a huge, gloomy ape

. He's run off with you-kidnapped you, thet's shore.... An' Gulden swears he shot his own men an' was in turn shot by you. Thet bullet-hole in his back was full of powder. There's liable to be

of half a mind to believe him-it was too late. Whatever befell her mattered li

and naked emotions hitherto unknown to her, that she believed she could not feel anoth

lousy. Except for that one abrupt and sinister move of Gulden's-that of a natural man beyond deceit-there was no word, no look, no act at which Joan could have been offended. They were joking, sarcastic, ironical, and sullen in their relation to each other; but to Joan each one presented what was naturally or what he considered his kindest and most friendly front. A young and attractiv

bility of latent good to her, and the dark, lurking, unspoken meaning, such

"an' you, Bate, you're too old. Move-pass by-sashay!" Pearc

in't she?" drawled Wood. "Ai

lied Pearce, and he succeeded

ay?" he asked Joan, with his

hey all knew she was not Kells's wife. But if she were a prisoner she seemed a willing and contented one. The query that breathed in P

oncern anybody,

nearer with intense face. "What I want to

reached back and

been, it was remarkable how quickly a

that?" he call

s only me, boss," he replied. "I was about to turn in,

d Kells, coolly. "Clear out

he others at the camp-fire. Presently they sought their b

you wake me?" w

ou," replied Joan. "I woke y

laughed. "Can't fool that gang. I guess it doesn't m

fading flare of the fire on his pale face. But

ar through the balsams; the fire burned dull and red. Joan watched the black, shapeless hulk that she knew to be Gulden. For a long time he remained motionless. By and by he moved, approached the fire, stood one moment in the dying ruddy glow, his great breadth and bulk magnif

y awake, while a thousand thoughts besieged her, all cen

sun in her face, did Joan real

e and Frenchy and Gulden on her way to the brook, but they took no notice of her. Bate Wood, however, touched his sombrero and said: "Mornin', miss." Joan wondered if her memory of the preceding night were only a bad dream. There was a different atmosphere by daylight,

pain, for at the end of this trail was Jim Cleve. In other days she had flouted him, made fun of him, dominated him, everything except loved and feared him. And now she was assured of her love and almost convinc

were grazing on the green levels. A wide, shallow, noisy stream split the valley. Joan could tell from the tracks at the crossing that t

utiful V-shaped gulch, very different from the high-walled, shut-in canons. It had a level floor, through which a brook flowed, and clumps of spruce and pine, with here and there a giant

hem. They rode up to a bench of straggling spruce-trees, in the midst of which stood a large log cabin. It was new, as in fact all the structures in the Gulch appeared to be, and none of them had seen a winter. The chinks between the logs were yet open. This cabin was of the rudest make of notc

g to greet the travelers. Jim Cleve was not among them. Her heart le

is horse. Joan heard all the men talking at once. They crowded round Pearce, each lending a h

skins and blankets on the floor, and lanterns and weapons on the wall.

he said. "I'm all right-only weak and tired. Fellows, this girl is my wife.... Jo

tered. It was light because the chinks between the logs were open. The furnishings were a wide bench of boughs covered with blankets, a shelf with a blurred and cracked mirror hanging above it, a table made of boxes, and a lantern. This room was four feet higher than the floor of the other cabin. And at the bottom of the steps leaned a half-dozen slender trimmed poles. She gathered presently that these poles were intended to be slipped under crosspieces ab

hair. How strange that there could be beautiful and pleasant things here in this robber den; that time was the same here as elsewhere; that the sun shone and the sky gleamed blue. Presently she discovered that a lassitude weighted upon her and she could not keep her eyes open. She ceased trying, but intended to r

" he said, "an' I was reckonin

ou, I would,"

top of a box upon which were steaming pans a

en I've somethin' to cook," he said wi

g, this supper was a luxury and exceedingly appetizing. While she was eating, the blanket curtain moved aside and Kells appeared. He dr

e?" he inquired, with a h

for the privac

u could be wo

now

.. There's a story about him, the worst I've heard on this

s she pronounced the name

together like buzzards. There's safety in numbers,

ou hate t

nly life I ever loved was adventure.... I'm w

hook h

e went on, speaking lower. "

u get the gol

overburdened travelers an

, unable to contain her sudden heat. "You m

.. I've only lost my head over you. But compare marrying me, living and traveling among decent people and comfort, to camps l

" she queried, in a

ulden ha

nse of proportion. Beside him you and th

y somewhere?... Your choice is stra

-you can't be so base. Not now, after I saved your life! It would be

love you!" he sa

she replied in scorn. "Go

man. It's wonderful to be near you. My life has been hell. I've had nothing. There'

tion from even worse men. You're different from these others. You're educated. You must have had-a-a good mother. Now you're bitter, desperate, terrible. You hate li

of comprehending thought in his strange eyes showed the other side of the man. He was still st

. She knew it. She did not need to marry him or sacrifice herself. Joan was amazed that the idea remained an instant before her consciousness. But something had told her this was another kind of life than she had known, and all that was precious to her hung in the balance. Any falsity was justifiable, even righteous, under the circumstances. Could she formulate a plan that this keen bandit would not see through? The remotest possibility of her even caring for Kells-that

men's voices in the large cabin, sometimes low and at other times loud. It was only when Joan distinctly heard the name Jim Cleve that she was startled out of her absorpt

en standing and sitting and lounging around Kells, who had a seat where the light fell full upon him. Evidentl

, and let's look hi

ithe fellow. When they got into the light Joan quivered as if she had been stabbed. That

you," greeted Kells

e proffered hand. His voice was cold and colorless,

od there now, lithe and powerful, with muscles bulging in his coarse, white shirt. Joan's gaze swept over him, up and down, shivering at the two heavy guns he packed, till it was transfixed on his face. The old, or the other, Jim Cleve had been homely, with too much flesh on his face to show force or fire. This man seemed beautiful. But it was a beauty of tragedy. He was as white as Kells, but smoothly, purely white, wi

uished, what was said. Kells was unmistakably friendly, as were the other men within range of Joan's sight. Cleve was su

onged her? He had loved her at her displeasure and had kissed her against her will. She had furiously upbraided him, and when he had finally turned upon her, threatening to prove he was no coward, she had scorned him with a girl's merciless injustice. All her strength and resolv

nly when it stilled Joan was brought sharply to the signifi

bin. The man fell into the circle and faced Kell

said Kells, cooll

out Bill Bailey?" as

w the least conce

n a cabin, down

is eyes narrowed and shot steel

there somehow-nobody knows. He was far gone when Beady Jones happened along. Bef

ls. "Bailey was-well, offens

undered Gulden. "He swore it was for nothing

betray excitement. An uneasy stir and murmur ran through the room. Red Pearce, nearest at ha

right!... Now wh

hing particular to Gulden, or else he was deep

hy do you double-cross the gang? What's the game?

ash his hand flew out with his gun

Red Pearce stepped between Kells and Gulden. There was a realization in the crowd, loud breaths, scraping of fe