son had told her what might be expected of him. Linton was the
other man.

Nor did it surprise Ruth to hear Chavis talking of stealing the Flying W
stock. But it angered her to discover that her humane principles were
being ridiculed; she was so incensed at Chavis that she felt she could
remain to hear him no longer, and she got up, her face red, her eyes
flashing, to go to her pony.

But the pony was nowhere in sight. She remembered now, her heart sinking
with a sudden, vague fear, that she had neglected to trail the reins over
the animal's head, as she had been instructed to do by the puncher who
had gentled the pony for her; he had told her that no western horse,
broken by an experienced rider, would stray with a dragging rein.

She gave a quick, frightened glance around. She could see clearly to the
broken section of country through which she had passed some time before,
and her glance went to the open miles of grass land that stretched south
of her. The pony had not gone that way, either. Trembling from a sudden
weakness, but driven by the urge of stern necessity, she advanced
cautiously to the edge of the cut again and looked over.

Her pony was standing on the level below her, almost in front of the rock
under which had been Chavis and Kester! It had evidently just gone down
there, for at the instant she looked over the edge of the cut she saw
Chavis and Kester running toward it, muttering with surprise.

For one wild, awful instant, Ruth felt that she would faint, for the
world reeled around her in dizzying circles. A cold dread that seized her
senses helped her to regain control of herself presently, however, and
scarcely breathing she stole behind some dense weeds at the edge of the
cut, murmuring a prayer of thankfulness for their presence.

What Chavis and Kester had said upon seeing the pony, she had not heard.
But now she saw crafty smiles on their faces; Chavis' was transfigured by
an expression that almost drew a cry of horror from her. Through the
weeds she could see their forms, and even hear the subdued exclamation
from Chavis:

"It's the girl's cayuse, sure. I'd know it if I saw it in the Cannibal
islands. I reckon she's been snoopin' around here somewheres, an' it's
sloped! Why, Kester!" he cried, standing erect and drawing great, long
breaths, his eyes blazing with passion as for an instant she saw them as
they swept along the edge of the cut, "I'd swing for a kiss from them
lips of hers!"