as if the power
of reason had at last left her, so colorless was her look, so
unchanging was her vacant expression. But at last she stirred. And
with her movement a strange light grew in her eyes. It was a look
bordering upon the insane, yet it was full of resolve, a desperate
resolve. Her lips were tightly compressed, and she breathed hard.

She made no sound. There were no further lamentations. Slowly she
reached out one hand toward the beloved body. Nor was the movement a
caress. It passed across the tattered garments, through which the
painfully contused flesh peered hideously out at her. It moved with
definite purpose toward one of the gaping holsters upon the man's
waist-belt. Her hand came to a pause over the protruding butt of a
revolver. Just for a moment there was hesitation. Then it dropped upon
it and her fingers clasped the weapon firmly. She withdrew it, and in
a moment it rested in her lap.

She gazed down upon it with straining, hopeless eyes. It was as if she
were struggling to nerve herself for that one last act of cowardice
which the despairing find so hard to resist. Then, with a deep-drawn
sigh, she raised the weapon with its muzzle ominously pointing at her
bosom.

Again came a pause.

Then she closed her eyes, as though fearing to witness the passing of
the daylight from her life, and her forefinger moved to embrace the
trigger. It reached its object, and its pressure tightened.

But as it tightened, and the trigger even moved, she felt the warm
grip of a hand close over hers, and the pistol was turned from its
direction with a wrench.

Her startled eyes abruptly opened, and her grip upon the weapon
relaxed, while a cry broke from her ashen lips. She had left the gun
in Buck's hand, and his dark eyes were gazing into hers from his bed
amongst the crushed branches of the bush amidst which he was lying.

For long moments she stared at him almost without understanding. Then,
slowly, the color returned to her cheeks and lips, and great tears of
joy welled up into her loving eyes.

"Buck," she murmured, as the heavy tears slowly rolled down her
cheeks, and her bosom heaved with unspeakable joy. "My--my Buck."

For answer the man's eyes smiled. Her heaven had opened at last.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

--IN THE WILDERNESS

The golden sun was high in the heavens. Its splendor was pouring down
upon a gently steaming earth. But all its joyous light, all its
perfect beneficence could not undo