Page 37 (1/1)

Venters chose the deepest tufts of grass and clulanced over his shoulder He did not rest His concern was to avoid jarring the girl and to hide his trail Gaining the narrow canyon, he turned and held close to the wall till he reached his hiding-place When he entered the dense thicket of oaks he was hard put to it to force a way through But he held his burden al the saplings he got in Through sage and grass he hurried to the grove of silver spruces

He laid the girl down, alhVenters then appreciated the tax that long carry had been to his strength He sat down to rest Whitie sniffed at the pale girl and whined and crept to Venters's feet Ring lapped the water in the runway of the spring

Presently Venters went out to the opening, caught the horse and, leading hi halter Wrangle left his browsing long enough to whinny and toss his head Venters felt that he could not rest easily till he had secured the other rustler's horse; so, taking his rifle and calling for Ring, he set out Swiftly yet watchfully he h the canyon to the oval and out to the cattle trail What few tracks ht have betrayed him he obliterated, so only an expert tracker could have trailed hie, he started to round up the rustler's horse This was unexpectedly easy He led the horse to lower ground, out of sight fro the shadoestern wall, and so on into his canyon and secluded cairl's eyes were open; a feverish spot burned in her cheeks she ible to Venters, but he took theher head, he tipped the canteen to her lips After that she again lapsed into unconsciousness or a weakness which was its counterpart Venters noted, however, that the burning flush had faded into the forh canyon ris and put a halter on the dead rustlers horse He allowed Wrangle to browse free This done, he cut spruce boughs andher upon a blanket, he folded the sides over her The other blanket he wrapped about his shoulders and found a coainst a spruce-tree that upheld the little shack Ring and Whitie lay near at hand, one asleep, the other watchful