Page 48 (1/1)

"Have you had enough, Rhoda?" asked Kut-le

"No!" shuddered Rhoda "I'd rather die here!"

The Indian laughed softly as he lifted her froood lover, Rhoda," he said "I wish I'd had tihly I haven't been twenty-five feet away from you since you left the camp I wanted you to try your hand at it just so you'd realize what you are up against But you've tired yourself badly"

Rhoda layof his words but of the first time that the Indian had carried her She saw John DeWitt's protesting face, and tears of weakness and despair ran silently down her cheeks Kut-le strode rapidly and, unhesitatingly over the course she had followed so painfully and in a fewIndians

Kut-le put Rhoda in her saddle, fastened her securely and put a Navajo about her shoulders The night's un Whether they went up and down mountains, whether they crossed deserts, Rhoda neither knew nor cared The blind purpose of clinging to the saddle was the one aiht-headed at tiainst the horse's neck, sheerect she called to hihtened and he clinched his teeth, but he did not go to her When, however, the frail figure drooped silently and inertly against the waist strap he seemed to know even in the darkness Then and then only he lifted her down, the squaws ain Over and over during the night this was repeated until at dawn Rhoda was barely conscious that after being lifted to the ground she was not remounted but was covered carefully and left in peace

It was late in the afternoon again when Rhoda woke She pushed aside her blankets and tried to get up but fell back with a groan The stiffness of the previous days was nothing whatever to the id The overexertion of three nights in the saddle which the ated had asserted itself and every irl's body seemed acutely painful To lift her hand to her hair, to draw a long breath, to turn her head, was almost impossible

Rhoda looked dismally about her The camp this tihty ranges, each separated froleamed the snow-capped peaks Purple and lavendermesas Rhoda threw her arht, and moaned in pain at the movement