Hidden Creek

rom the hard, dull gold and alkali dust of the Millings country: here were silvery-green miles of range, and purple-green miles of pine forest, and lovely lighter fringe

t craters. To the north Sheila saw a further serenity of mountains, lying low and soft on the horizon, of another and more wistful blue. Over it all was a sort of magical haze, soft and brilliant as though the air were a melted sapphire. There was still blessedness such as Sheila had never felt. She was filled with a longing to ride on and on until her spirit should pass into the wide, tr

ly starched by fairy laundresses. With a cry of delight Sheila jumped off her horse, tied him by his reins to a tree, and began gathering flowers with all the eager concentration of a six-year-old. And, like all the flower-gatherers of fable from Proserpina down, she found herself

o cry. She remembered confusedly, but with a certain satisfaction, some of the things Thatcher had said to his team. An entire and sudden lenience toward the gentle art of swearing was born in her. She threw her columbine angr

where the trees seemed to slant and the very flowers to be outrun by a mysterious sort of flight of rebel earth toward space! The great and heady height was informed with a presence which if not hostile was terrifyingly ignorant of man. There

l dread of bears. In spite of the chill, she was very warm, her tongue dry with rapid breathing of the thin air. She was intolerably thirsty. The sound of water called to her in a lisping, inhuman voice. She resisted till she was ashame

wo stared at each other for a moment. Then the man rose to his feet and smiled. Sheila noticed

I'm not near so desperate as I look. Do you want a drink? Han

big breath. "But I was startled for a minute. I

p forehead with a weary, worried gesture, he gave a little exclamation and

said. "And I was c

u are the cowboy-the one that fought so-so terribly. Have you be

the shock of her fright, her fingers were not very steady. He looked down at her during the operation with a contented expres

ut"-with a sudden thundery change of countenance-

g there very fast. I wanted to make Rusty before dark. And my pony got away from me and went back. I know he went back becau

though." He stared meditatively above her head and then said in a to

up at him. "Go back? But you must have

tter. It was all foolishness my coming over. I can put you up back of me on my horse, if you don't mind, and we'll get to Rusty bef

heila, but she said it

ard s

anyway. If you go back to t

from the road. Sheila waited till she thought she must have drea

, "I didn't come b

arge, bony animal

u rode when you came to

riding quite a variety of horse-flesh lately. I'll get on first if you don't

r, his long, supple fingers closed over her wrist like steel and s

our arms round tight

-y

omfort

, I th

off,

me loosened the six-shooter on his hip. He whistled incessant

tting used to her peculiar physical position and found she did not have to cling so desperately. But in a social sense she was embarrasse

ch had left a smear of blood across her fingers. That had happened only a few days before, but they were long days. He too must have been well occupied. There was stil

been in Hi

es to settling down I get kind of restless. And usually I get into a mix-up that changes my intentions. So I'd about de

wagon. I'm going to Miss Bla

wears pants? You don't mean it! Well

rily. "I can't see

l, ma'am, maybe it isn't

will yo

and if I'm happy, I'll stay there always." She added with a qu

u any-folks

N

ed of Mi

s-v

is a mighty pretty place, lonesome but wonderfully pretty. Right on a bend of the creek, 'way

abroad and in the East. There was a quickness of voice and manner, an impatience, a hot and nervous something, and his v

Arundel. I don't

ome from

"But I've lived abroad nearly all my life. I think it

nd he pronounced the name with a queer bitter accent as though the taste of it w

unconsciousness. "Yes. Very nice and very unusual. Hilliard

his body relax and his voice sounded fuller. "That's Spanish. I'

they'd have hardly missed a day's work, but just because these Hilliards have got spondulix they'll run a paragraph about 'em in the papers for a month."-Sheila began to make comparisons: a South American wife and an American husband, and here, this young man with the Spanish-American name and the Spanish-Saxon physique, and a voice that showed training and faltered over the pronouncing of the "Hilliard" as though he expected it to be too well remembered. Had there been some mention in the paper of a son?-a son in the West?-a son under a cloud of some sort? But-she checked her spinning of romance-this youth was too genuine a cowboy, the way he rode, the way he

Hilliard softly, laughing a

iscovering that her head had dropped against him. "Ho

ted. "Miss Arundel, I think I'd best let

down?

d rustled from several of the natives. They knew the horse and that was enough for their nervous system. They had never set eyes on me before and they wouldn't take my word for my blameless past. They told me to keep my story for trial when they took me over to the court. Meanwhile they gave me a free lodging in their pen. Miss Arundel-" Hilliard dropped his ironic tone and spoke in a low, tense voice of child-like horror. His face stiffened and paled. "That was awful. To be locked in. Not to be able to g

ung adventurer, homeless, foot-loose, without discipline or duty, had turned to her in his trouble as instinctiv

from the country by running away from nothing. Of course there are ways to prove my identity with those fellows. It only means putting up with a few days of pen." He gav

see you riding in with me,

"You're game!" he sai

o any more shooting. It

r. It's a man riding ou

to give m

y here," said

't let

lk. I'm too sleepy.

dle and wheeled about on the road. A rattle of galloping hoofs struck the ground

eft. I'm plumb disgusted and disheartened with young Tommins for losin' his head an' shootin' off his gun. He's a dern fool, that kid, a regu

l, I'm right pleased I won't have

nks. The sheriff stands

removing

rformed the introductio

ng to stop at Ru

head, Shorty, why don't you?" he said indignantly, "and tell M

fter a swift, searchi

almost cooing, voice a

away. But the men

teen minutes later they crossed a bridge an

ere in