Page 15 (1/1)

Hardly had she seated herself at her solitary meal when Cartwell appeared

"Dear me!" he exclai tione up on the first ht perhaps you ot too hot You didn't sleep well last night, did you?"

Rhoda answered whiet used to it soon Perhaps I ought to drive I suppose I ought to try everything"

Not at all discouraged, apparently, by this lack of enthusiasm, Cartwell said: "I won't let you overdo I'll have the top-buggy for you and we'll go slowly and carefully"

"No," said Rhoda, suddenly recalling that, after all, Cartas an Indian, "I don't think I will go Katherine will have all sorts of objections"

The Indian smiled sardonically

"I already have Mrs Jack's permission Billy Porter will be in, in a moment If you would rather have a whiteto retreat"

Rhoda flushed delicately

"Your frankness is almost--almost impertinent, Mr Cartwell"

"I don't mean it that way at all!" protested the Indian "It's just that I saw so plainly as going on in your mind and it piqued me If it will be one bit pleasanter for you with Billy, I'll go right out and hunt hi man's naïveté coet your fay and I'll be ready in a minute"

In a short time Rhoda and Cartwell, followed by ating ditch At a slow pace they drove through the peach orchard into the desert As they reached the open trail, thrush and to-hee fluttered from the cholla Chipmunk and cottontail scurried before theht Cartatched the girl keenly Her pale face was very lovely in the brilliant ray eyes was deepened That same muteness and patience in her trouble which so touched other men touched Cartwell, but he only said: "There never was anything bigger and finer than this open desert, was there?"

Rhoda turned fro Indian wonderingly

"Why!" she exclaiets you when you try to picture eternity to yourself? That's the way this barrenness and awful distance affects me I hate it!"