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Her left ankle seemed broken The stirrup was heavy, and as soon as she

was tired she could no longer keep its weight froht knee was as sore as a boil Besides, she had

other pains, just as severe, and she stood momentarily in mortal dread

of that terrible stitch in her side If it returned she knew she would

fall off But, fortunately, just when she was groeak and dizzy,

the horses ahead slowed to a walk on a descent The road wound down into

a wide deep canyon Carley had a respite from her severest pains Never

before had she knohat it

The afternoon grew far advanced and the sunset was hazily shrouded in

gray Hutter did not like the looks of those clouds "Reckon we're in

for weather," he said Carley did not care what happened Weather or

anything else that et off her horse! Glenn

rode beside her, inquiring solicitously as to her pleasure "Ride of

my life!" she lied heroically And it helped some to see that she both

fooled and pleased hiher and changed its

aspect The trees grew larger, bushier, greener, and closer together,

with patches of bleached grass between, and russet-lichened rocks

everywhere Small cactus plants bristled sparsely in open places;

and here and there bright red flowers--Indian paintbrush, Flo called

theray Glenn pointed to where dark