"Of all men living I hate you most!" she cried passionately. And then,
softly, more softly than any one had ever heard her speak, "And you
come closer to being a man than any man I ever knew. I wonder--"

The fury within him demanding some sort of expression found it in the
swift stride that carried him blindly down the walk. He came almost at
a run to his horse. Endymion, mindful of the unprovoked blows and
tearing spurs of a week ago, distrustful, afraid, whirled, rearing and
plunging, and broke the reins that had been tossed over the post.
Hume, venting upon a trifle the wrath that seethed within him, shouted
angrily, cursing the horse that dashed by him.

The horse, seeing his way through the gate shut off, turned and dashed
around the house, seeking a break in the yard fence. Hume ran after
him, still cursing. The two men who were working in the yard lay down
their rakes and shovels and came up. The three of them cornered the
frightened brute. But when Hume, his hand outstretched for the
dangling, broken rein, came within half a dozen feet, Endymion,
snorting his fear, plunged by him, racing into another corner.

Again they closed about him, again he plunged through, mad with fear,
making the madness in Sledge Hume a speechless, raging fury. A third
time they tried, and as the big horse shot by Hume's temper mastered
him as it had mastered him once before.

"God damn you!" he shouted wildly. "Take that!"

As he shouted he jerked his revolver from his pocket and fired. Fired,
saw the big animal stagger and fired again.

He went to the stable for one of Helga's horses. His hands were
shaking as he saddled and got the bit into the animal's mouth. With no
look behind him he mounted, spurred out into the road and galloped off
toward El Toyon.

Helga Strawn from her window coolly ordered the two men to put the
wounded horse out of his misery and to drag him where she could not see
him, But her eyes did not tarry with them, did not leave the big bulk
of Sledge Hume until it had disappeared around a bend In the road.
Then she went to her mirror and stood looking at herself with large,
luminous eyes.

"I wonder," she whispered, "if he did love me, after all?"

She could never know. She knew that she could never know. And she
went and threw herself, face down, on her bed.

CHAPTER XXVII

HUME RIDES THE ONE OPEN TRAIL

Hard driven, conscious of a compelling force more dominant than the
s