ets. But the interest of the
moment, a premonition of events to be, quickened her into action.

Ellen unbarred the door to let in the light. Day was breaking with an
intense, clear, steely light in the east through which the morning star
still shone white. A ruddy flare betokened the advent of the sun.
Ellen unbraided her tangled hair and brushed and combed it. A queer,
still pang came to her at sight of pine needles tangled in her brown
locks. Then she washed her hands and face. Breakfast was a matter of
considerable work and she was hungry.

The sun rose and changed the gray world of forest. For the first time
in her life Ellen hated the golden brightness, the wonderful blue of
sky, the scream of the eagle and the screech of the jay; and the
squirrels she had always loved to feed were neglected that morning.

Colter came in. Either Ellen had never before looked attentively at
him or else he had changed. Her scrutiny of his lean, hard features
accorded him more Texan attributes than formerly. His gray eyes were
as light, as clear, as fierce as those of an eagle. And the sand gray
of his face, the long, drooping, fair mustache hid the secrets of his
mind, but not its strength. The instant Ellen met his gaze she sensed
a power in him that she instinctively opposed. Colter had not been so
bold nor so rude as Daggs, but he was the same kind of man, perhaps the
more dangerous for his secretiveness, his cool, waiting inscrutableness.

"'Mawnin', Ellen!" he drawled. "Y'u shore look good for sore eyes."

"Don't pay me compliments, Colter," replied Ellen. "An' your eyes are
not sore."

"Wal, I'm shore sore from fightin' an' ridin' an' layin' out," he said,
bluntly.

"Tell me--what's happened," returned Ellen.

"Girl, it's a tolerable long story," replied Colter. "An' we've no
time now. Wait till we get to camp."

"Am I to pack my belongin's or leave them heah?" asked Ellen.

"Reckon y'u'd better leave--them heah."

"But if we did not come back--"

"Wal, I reckon it's not likely we'll come--soon," he said, rather
evasively.

"Colter, I'll not go off into the woods with just the clothes I have on
my back."

"Ellen, we shore got to pack all the grab we can. This shore ain't
goin' to be a visit to neighbors. We're shy pack hosses. But y'u make
up a bundle of belongin's y'u care for, an' the things y'u'll need bad.
We'll throw it on somewhere."

Colter stalked away across the lane, and Ellen fo