Page 143 (1/1)

"My God!" panted DeWitt "Rhoda, don't! You don't knohat you're saying! Rhoda!"

Rhoda looked off where the afternoon sun lay like the very glory of God upon the chaos of range and desert Almost--alirl's wide eyes The white hast There was a desperate, hunted look in DeWitt's tired face Rhoda turned back

"I knohat I'ger than I arows the stronger! I know that this coreatest force in the world! It is what ree and they call that love! To me, in this boundless country, it has coreater than what you know as love It is greater than I a me but--John, I want you to let Kut-le live that I may marry him!"

DeWitt's aronizedly, "you don't knohat you are saying!"

"Don't I?" asked Rhoda steadily "Have I foughtto know the risk? Don't I knohat ataviser for er than all these I love Kut-le, John, and I ask you to give his life to me!"

Still Kut-le stoodhis eyes from Rhoda's, slowly, very slowly, slipped his Colt back into his belt For a long irl's exalted face Then he passed his hands across his eyes

"I give up!" he said quietly Then he turned, walked slowly to the cañon edge, and clambered deliberately down the trail

Jack and Billy stood dazed for a er, then Porter cleared his throat

"Miss Rhoda, don't do this! Now don't you! Coet away from this Injun's influence! Coet some other woman's ideas! For God's sake, Miss Rhoda, don't ruin your life this way!"

"When Katherine knows it all, she'll understand and agree withI said, to tell Katherine"

"I tell her!" cried Jack "Why can't you tell her yourself? What are you planning to do?"