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And Venters thought with lightning swiftness, "I've saved her--I've unlinked her fro as if I were all she had left on earth--she belongs to ly new Like a bloas in an unprepared moment

The cheery salutation he had ready for her died unborn and he turass while solad assurance of his power to succor her, held him dumb

"What a load you had!" she said "Why, they're pots and crocks!

Where did you get the one of the pots fro campfire

"Hope it'll hold water," he said, presently "Why, there's an enorot the pottery there Don't you think we needed so? That tin cup of "

"I noticed we hadn't a great deal to cook in"

She laughed It was the first tih he was tempted to look at her, he did not want to show his surprise or his pleasure

"Will you take me over there, and all around in the valley--pretty soon, when I'm well?" she added

"Indeed I shall It's a wonderful place Rabbits so thick you can't step without kicking one out And quail, beaver, foxes, wildcats We're in a regular den But--haven't you ever seen a cliff-dwelling?"

"No I've heard about theh The--the men say the Pass is full of old houses and ruins"

"Why, I should think you'd have run across one in all your riding around," said Venters He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully, and he essayed a perfectly casualpieces of pottery She ain to suffer shame for curiosity of his Yet never in all his days had he been so eager to hear the details of anyone's life "When I rode--I rode like the wind," she replied, "and never had ti"

"I remember that day I--I met you in the Pass--how dusty you were, how tired your horse looked Were you always riding?"

"Oh, no Sometimes not for months, when I was shut up in the cabin"

Venters tried to subdue a hot tingling

"You were shut up, then?" he asked, carelessly

"When Oldring went away on his long trips--he was gone for months sometimes--he shut me up in the cabin"

"What for?"

"Perhaps to keepaway I always threatened that