he must presently
penetrate her masquerade if he looked like that upon her. "What do you
advise me to do?"

He ignored her question, demanding:

"Say, is your name Kent?--Glenmore Kent?"

Beth felt her heart begin new gymnastics. This was her cue.

"Why, yes. But--how did you know--know me?"

"I've met your sister, in Goldite. You can't get to Starlight
to-night."

She had passed muster! A herd of wild emotions were upon her. But
first here was her predicament--and what he said was not at all
reassuring. Certain alarms that his coming had banished returned in a
vague array.

She showed her dread in her eyes. "Perhaps I could get to Goldite."

"How?" He was half unconsciously patting Suvy, the horse, whose
ecstasy thereat was not to be concealed.

Beth knew not how. She wished Van would cease that study of her face.
Perhaps she could think more clearly.

"Why--I suppose I could walk--if I knew the way," she said. "Is it
very far? I admit I'm bewildered. I was lost."

"It would be a long ride," he told her. "A lost man is hopeless. I
couldn't even show you the way so you could keep it--especially at
night."

New fears came surging upon her in all their force and numbers.

"But--what shall I do?"

Van reflected.

"My claim is the nearest camp from here, since the wind took down that
shack. And that was abandoned anyway. Can you hike some twenty-odd
miles?"

Twenty-odd miles!--on foot! For a second she was almost tempted to
disclose herself, and beg him, for something a trifle more sympathetic
than what he seemed to be offering another fellow man. But that could
not be done. And night was descending rapidly. The twilight was
brief--and on the wane.

"Why--perhaps so," she answered, attempting to smile. "I'll try."

Something in her smile went straight to his heart--he wondered why. To
feel as he did towards this unknown man, even the brother of the girl
he madly loved--this was certainly absurd. It was not to be explained;
it was simply upon him, that was enough. He dismounted.

"Here, get on my horse and ride. I want to walk and stretch my legs."

Beth all but gasped. She!--ride on Suvy!--the horse she had seen so
nearly kill this man!--a horse that might perhaps permit no other
living thing upon his back! Yet she knew not how to refuse--and to
walk very far would be impossible.

"I'm--afraid I'm a very poor horseman," she admitted guardedly. "If
your pony should h