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At length Colter broke a way through a heavy thicket of s and entered a side canyon, the mouth of which Ellen had not even descried It turned and widened, and at length opened out into a round pocket, apparently inclosed, and as lonely and isolated a place as even pursued rustlers could desire Hidden by jutting wall and thicket of spruce were two old log cabins joined together by roof and attic floor, the same as the double cabin at the Jorth ranch

Ellen s round the cabins, saw a bright fire Oneat Colter's party, which evidently he had heard approaching

"Hullo, Queen!" said Colter "How's Tad?"

"He's holdin' on fine," replied Queen, bending over the fire, where he turned pieces ofColter

As if he had not heard her, he went on wearily loosening a pack

Queen looked at her The light of the fire only partially shone on his face Ellen could not see its expression But froot further inti, wild ride had helped prepare her for the secrecy and taciturnity of ht Perhaps her father had been delayed or was still off on the deadly ht, and probably was, darker reason for his absence Ellen shut her teeth and turned to the needs of her horse And presently, returning to the fire, she thought of her uncle

"Queen, is my uncle Tad heah?" she asked

"Shore He's in there," replied Queen, pointing at the nearer cabin

Ellen hurried toward the dark doorway She could see how the logs of the cabin had , dilapidated hovel it was As she looked in, Colter loomed over her--placed a familiar and somehow masterful hand upon her Ellen let it rest on her shoulder awhos had always meant? Ellen felt herself weary, weak in body, and her spent spirit had not rallied Yet, whatever Colter meant by his familiarity, she could not bear it So she slipped out from under his hand

"Uncle Tad, are y'u heah?" she called into the blackness She heard the mice scamper and rustle and she s-unused cabin

"Hello, Ellen!" cae "Yes I'irl?"