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"All right! You co on sardonically, Molly poured fresh seeds on her ruderoll that flattened and broke the little grains Despite her weak fingers Rhoda took to the work easily As she emptied out the first handful ofbefore the metate, she looked at the little pile of bruised seeds with the utmost satisfaction Molly poured ain She was hard at her task, her cheeks flushed with interest, when Kut-le returned Rhoda did not see the sudden look of pleasure in his eyes

"You will tire yourself," he said

Rhoda did not answer, but poured another handful of seed on the in to like the life," he went on, "by the tily to Cesca "You think the white squaw can cross the desert soon by herself?"

Cesca spat disdainfully

"No! White squaw no good! All time sit, sit, no work! Kut-le heap fool!"

"Oh, Cesca," cried Rhoda, "I'ood?"

Cesca glanced disdainfully at the little heap of runted "Feed 'em to the horses Injuns no eat 'eers Cesca's contempt hurt her unaccountably In her weakness her cleft chin quivered She turned to Molly

"Do you think it's so bad, Molly?"

That faithful friend grunted with rage and ai arm about Rhoda

"It's heap fine! Cesca just old fool You love Molly Let Cesca go to hell!"

Kut-le had been watching the little scene with tender eyes Now he stooped and lifted Rhoda to her feet, then he raised one of the delicate hands and touched it softly with his lips

"Leave such work to the squaws, dear! You aren't built for it Cesca, you old lobster, you nity, flipped away her cigarette and walked with a sniff over to the cooking-pot Rhoda drew her hands froe of the cah her body startled her

"I hate him!" she said to herself "I hate hiht was unusually difficult and Rhoda had to be rested frequently At each stop, Kut-le tried to talk to her but she maintained her silence They paused at dawn in a pocket forent cañons Far, far above the desert as they were, still farther above thees, snow-capped and silent As Rhoda stood waiting for the squaws to spread her blankets the peaks were lighted suddenly by the rays of the still unseen sun For one unspeakable instant their snons flashed a translucent scarlet that trembled, shimmered, thenthat Rhoda trembled with sudden awe Then as she looked, the sun rolled into view, blinding her eyes, and she turned to her waiting blankets