ise of her
pony's hoof-beats seemed alarmingly resonant.

But nothing happened. The streets were deserted, save for a few
half-drunken wanderers, headed for the nearest saloon. On the far-off
peaks of the mountains the rosy light of sunrise faintly appeared. In
the calm of the great barren spaces, even Goldite was beautiful at last.

A sense of exhilaration pervaded Beth's youthful being. She was glad
of what she had done. It was joyous, it was splendid, this absolute
freedom in all this stern old world!

The road wound crookedly up a hill, as it left the streets of the town
behind. The scattered tents extended for a mile in this direction, the
squares of silent canvas, like so many dice, cast on the slopes by a
careless fate that had cast man with them in the struggle.

Beth and her pony finally topped the hill, to be met by a sea of
mountains out beyond. Up and down these mighty billows of the earth
the highway meandered, leading onward and southward through the desert.

The mare was urged to a gallop, down an easy slope, then once more she
walked as before. All the mountains in the west were rosy now, till
presently the sun was up, a golden coin, struck hot from the very mints
of God, giving one more day with its glory.

Its very first rays seemed a comfort, suggesting a welcome warmth.
Beth could have called out songs of gladness well nigh uncontainable.
She had all the big world to herself. Even the strangely twisted
clouds in the sky seemed made for her delight. They were rare in this
wonderful dome of blue and therefore things of beauty.

For an hour or more her way was plain, and to ride was a god-like
privilege. Her ease of mind was thoroughly established. What had been
the necessity for all those qualms of fear? The matter was simple,
after all.

It was ten o'clock before she ate her breakfast. She had come to the
so-called river, the only one in perhaps a hundred miles. It was quite
a respectable stream at this particular season, but spread very thinly
and widely at the ford.

By noon she was half way of her distance. The sun was hot; summer
baking of the desert had begun. Her mare was sweating profusely. She
had urged her to the top of her strength. Nevertheless she was still
in excellent condition. To the westward the sky was overcast in a
manner such as Beth had never seen, with a dark, copperous storm-head
that massed itself prodigiously above the range.

Already she had co