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To Rhoda the pause elcoer they camped in one spot the surer would be the pursuers to stuan to devote himself entirely to Rhoda's amusement He knew all the plant and anie an to respond to his vivid interest and the girl in her stay on the iven to fehites to learn it Besides what she learned from the men Rhoda beca She could kindle the tiny, s ood water fro pride of her achieve to weave the dish basketry

They had lived in the mountain niche some three weeks when Alchise and Kut-le left the camp one afternoon, Alchise on a turkey hunt, Kut-le on one of his mysterious trips for supplies Alchise returned at dusk with a beautiful bird which Rhoda and Molly roasted with enthusiasm But Kut-le did not appear at supper time as he had pro, Rhoda and the Indians ate As the evening wore on, Alchise grew uneasy, but he dared not disobey Kut-le's orders and leave the caht

Rhoda speculated, torn between hope and fear Perhaps the searchers had captured Kut-le at last Perhaps he had given up hope of winning her love and had gone for good Perhaps, soroup sat up arettes, Alchise and Molly talking now in Apache, now in English Rhoda was convinced that they were puzzled and worried

Even after she had lain down on her blankets Rhoda could not sleep With Kut-le gone her sense of the caone She rose finally and sat beside Alchise who, rifle in hand, guarded the ledge There was noto know the stars They were remote in the East; in the desert they become a part of one's existence The sense of stupendous distance was greater at night than in the dayti depth beyond depth, the faint far spaces of the desert, were as if one looked on the Great Mystery itself

When dawn came, Alchise wakened Cesca, put the rifle into her hands, and hurried back up over the ray when Rhoda saw Kut-le staggering up the trail froave a little cry and ran down to meet him