The Sheriff's Son

Hill

would not do for the two to be seen together. In the early morning Ryan left the young man and turned back toward Batt

's been many a year since I was in to the park and maybe my

that would mean that he must have come through the Gap in the night. So he unsaddled and stretched himself on the sun-dappled ground for an

nflecked sky. The tireless hum of insects made murmurous music all about him

ail. Within the hour he knew that he was lost. Either he had mistaken some of the land

he kept going he was bound to get nearer. Perhaps he might run into

e peaks rising gaunt in front of him. Between him and them were many miles of tangled mesquite, wooded

He watched it incuriously, but his interest quickened when it came out of the bushes into a dry water-course and he discovered that the figure was that of a human being. The person walked with an odd, dragging l

around. He called to her again. His voice must have reached her very faintly. She did not

e speculating about it. The easiest descent to the valley was around the rear of the bluff, but

At sound of his approach she flung up quickly the mass of inky black hair that had hidden her bent face. As she rose it

thing wild and free and proud. It was as if she challenged his presence even though she had summoned him. Across his

hed him steadily as

you?" she

you. I thought you were in

the peculiarity of gait he had noticed from above. She had been dragging the heavy Newhouse trap and t

ers use, and the stiff leather had broken the shock of the blow from the steel

e trap," she explained

irl drew out her numb leg. She straightened herself, swayed, and clutched bli

the bluff. For present purposes it might as well have been at the North Pole. He could not leave her while she was like this. But s

gh, and looked with a perplexed doubt upo

oy told her by w

he angry color flushed into her cheeks. Her anno

ou to take

it might he

to pull it on, but gave this up with

ind of a baby

sitation: "You'd better let me bind up your ankle. I have water

en suspicion in the glance

you want to," she told hi

ater, he knew why she had let him go for the water. It had been the easiest way to get rid of him for the time. The

now-less painf

nty. We've been setting traps for wolves. They've been getting our lambs. I jumped off my

at the disgust she

e my horse to your

t relish the idea of being under obligations to him. But to attempt to walk so far was out

He's an old plug. You'll find h

e as easily as her brothers did. The girl had read in books of men aiding women to reach their seat on the back of a horse, but she had not the least idea how the thing was done. Because

fully awkward,

hers, not his. She resented it that he was ready to take the bla

was. I'm not a fool,"

r. There were many things of which she knew nothing. The ways of sophisticated women, the conventions of society, were alien to her life. She was mountain-bred, brought up among men, an outcast even from the better class of Battle Butte. But the life of

out what manner of girl this was. She was new to his experience. He had met none like her. That she was a proud, sulky creature he could easily guess from her quickness at taking offense. She resented even the appearance

almost an air-line to the ranch. The paths she took wound in and out through unsuspected gorges and over divides that only goats or cow-ponies could have safely scrambled up and down. Hi

when you found me?"

ost, so we ought to put it that you found me," Be

p there?" Her keen suspicio

n. I've got the best pr

Don't you know that the Big Cre

able to sell a whole lot easier than if I took the valleys." He laughed a little, by way of taking her in

are of temper. "This country up here is fifty yea

rld. It cleft a passage through the range to another gorge, at the foot of which lay a mount

o Park?"

es

live

ings to the left. "That is my father's

ed eyes upon her

d, the daughter o