The Forfeit

shaded pine woods about her. Her hair hung loosely in a knot at the nape of her neck, and its intensely dark

longed to them, her dark beauty so harmonized with its surroundings. Yet for all her coloring, for all the buckskin she wore for upper garment, there was nothing in her nature of the outlands which now claimed her. S

liage above her. With an almost imperceptible movement one buckskin clad arm reached slowly out toward the small sporting rifle which leaned against an adjacent tree-trunk. Her whole pois

been diverted from the moving object. Now, however, her head inclined forward, and her warm cheek was laid against the cool butt. The sights of the weapon were brought up into line. The pressure of her forefinger was increased upon the

re of active purpose that belied her femininity. In a moment she was in the saddle of the pony which had been dozing a few yards away. Her rifle was slung upon one

eading its way almost miraculously through the labyrinth of bald tree-trunks. These pot-hunts, which

weight over the horn of the saddle. The woods meant nothing to her. The maze of tree-trunks as they sped by conveyed no threat of da

s yielded to open grass, and again they merged into scattered scrub, through which it was difficult to track their quarry. U

itement, hope, doubt. These occupied her t

t would probably have been wasted. Besides, those pauses of the poor hunted beast carried their own significa

evere that pursuer and pursued were brought to a sheer scramble. The toil was terrific, but Effie's pony, bred of the tough prairie fibre, clawed up with ind

the distance was lessening. The summit was in sight. The pony was blowing hard. Effie urged him, and the vicious Mexican spurs foun

summit. Could she permit it? Dared she risk what lay beyond? I

She dared not risk that summit with her pony now rapidly failing. She must chance her own

and shook, and then gazed round. There was something dreadful in the appeal of its wistful attitude. For one second the woman closed her eyes. Then they opened, and their beauty was full of resolve. Again the rifle was at her shoulder.

ctised fingers secured the warm body. It was game. Fair game, brought down in open chase, and it would provide welcome change in the monotonou

ed in a clean cut, such as is so frequently the case where the pine world reigns. And rearing blankly before her gaze stood a dense barrier of low

ony. Again her decision was taken without hesitation. She stooped and set a pair of hobbles about the

*

rize herself with every foot of the country within reach of her home. This was a break into new territory. T

zement at her discovery. A brief battle with a dense and obstinate scrub found her standing in the centre of

the sight. She knew there was no homestead or ranch within miles of this region. Was she n

eling of apprehension. The stillness, the remoten

rustling the mournful foliage of the pine woods behind her. Her eyes were raised to the walls of scrub lining the roadw

er movements became almost furtive, furtive and rapid. She passed down the bush-lined way, hugging the grassy edges to avoid leaving trace of her foot

n her now. She was proceeding in the direction the

and the drudgery of an outland life. No womanish fears could deter her. She believed and hoped she

owering pines threw shadows across her path. Then gaps broke up the continuity, but, even so, the view beyond to her left was cut off by remoter growths.

t must converge upon the sharp cut edge of the great pine woods she had so recently left. With this co

than she had suspected. The path twisted back into the huge reverse o

y swung westward. She rounded the bend, and, in a moment, fo

sh. The path had not ended. It passed over the brink and continued its way zigzagging down the terrific slope to the valley below. It was this, and the sight of a distant spiral of smoke rising

us she was left with a full view of the depths below. Her dark eyes dwelt upon the zigzagging path. She followed its downward co

y a large herd of cattle was grazing, watched over by three mounted me

rt was thumping in her bosom, and her breath came rapidly. There was no question in her mind. In a moment her whole life seemed to have changed. The d

nt mountain peaks. The peace of the scene suggested nothing of the turbulent thought a-riot behind her

all. It was so strange. There lay the secret revealed-the secret which every rancher in the district for years had sought to

ed with the thought. But she needed him. Yes. There was no room for any doubt on that score. He must be roused,

ounded in the bush to the left of her. Her glance was terrified as it turned in the direction

three horsemen, who had been riding round the cattle, were racing directly toward the foot of the pa

ot rang viciously upon the still air. The bullet tore its way through the bush. This time it was

ier just as another bullet whistled

ad to face the zigzag climb. If she made no mistakes there was little chance of th

woodcraft was sufficiently practised to stand her in good stead. She recognized each feature in the path until she came to the point where she had first entered it In a moment she was battling her way through th

n his forelegs. Then, with the habit of her life on the plains, she tigh

ne instant she sat in doubt. Then, with a half-thought fear lest her hard pursuit of the wounded deer had le