e of it, made by cattle or
sheep or goats, perhaps all three. Luis hurried along, stopping now and
then and holding up a hand for silence so that he might listen. Fast as
he went, Annie-Many-Ponies kept within two long steps of his heels, her
plaid shawl drawn smoothly over her black head and folded together under
her chin. Her mouth was set in a straight line, and her chin had the
square firmness of the Indian. Luis, looking back at her curiously,
could not even guess at her thoughts, but he thought her too calm and
cold for his effervescent nature--though he would have liked to tell her
that she was beautiful. He did not, because he was afraid of Ramon.

"Poco tiempo, come to his camp, Ramon," he said when the sun was peering
over the high shoulder of a ridge; and he spoke in a hushed tone, as if
he feared that someone might overhear him.

"You 'fraid Wagalexa Conka, he come?" Annie-Many-Ponies asked abruptly,
looking at him full.

Luis did not understand her, so he lifted his shoulders in the Mexican
gesture which may mean much or nothing. "Quien sabe?" he muttered
vaguely and went on. Annie-Many-Ponies did not know what he meant, but
she guessed that he did not want to be questioned upon the subject;
so she readjusted the shawl that had slipped from her head and went on
silently, two long steps behind him.

In a little he turned from the ravine, which was becoming more open and
not quite so deep. They scrambled over boulders which the horse must
negotiate carefully to avoid a broken leg, and then they were in another
little ravine, walled round with rocks and high, brushy slopes. Luis
went a little way, stopped beside a huge, jutting boulder and gave a
little exclamation of dismay.

"No more here, Ramon," he said, staring down at the faintly smoking
embers of a little fire. "She's go som' place, I don't know, me."

The slim right hand of Annie-Many-Ponies went instinctively to her bosom
and to what lay hidden there. But she waited, looking from the little
campfire that was now almost dead, to Luis whom she suspected of
treachery. Luis glanced up at her apologetically, caught something of
menace in that unwinking, glittering stare, and began hastily searching
here and there for some sign that would enlighten him further.

"She's here when I go, Ramon," he explained deprecatingly. "I don'
un'stan', me. She's tell me go breeng yoh thees place. She's say I mus'
huree w'ile dark she's las'. I'm sure s'prised, me!"