the glint of a gun held before her。 Instinctive fear revived her old
faculties。 The horrible sick weakness； the dimness； the shaking internal
collapse all left her。
〃I'llbequiet！〃 she faltered。 She knew what her father had always feared
had come to pass。 And though she had been told to put no value on her life； in
that event； she could not run。 All in an instantwhen life had been so
sweetshe could not face pain or death。
The man moved back a step。 He was tall； gaunt； ragged。 But not like Cordts！
Never would she forget Cordts。 She peered up at him。 In the dim light of the
few stars she recognized Joel Creech's father。
〃Oh； thank God！〃 she whispered； in the shock of blessed relief。 I thoughtyou
wereCordts！〃
〃Keep quiet；〃 he whispered back； sternly； and with rough hand he shook her。
Lucy awoke to realities。 Something evil menaced her； even though this man was
not Cordts。 Her mind could not grasp it。 She was amazed stunned。 She
struggled to speak； yet to keep within that warning command。
〃Whaton earthdoes this…mean？〃 she gasped； very low。 She had no sense of
fear of Creech。 Once； when he and her father had been friends； she had been a
favorite of Creech's。 When a little girl she had ridden his knee many times。
Between Creech and Cordts there was immeasurable distance。 Yet she had been
violently seized and carried out into the sage and menaced。
Creech leaned down。 His gaunt face； lighted by terrible eyes； made her recoil。
〃Bostil ruined mean' killed my hosses；〃 he whispered； grimly。 〃An' I'm
takin' you away。 An' I'll hold you in ransom for the King an' Sarchedonan'
all his racers！〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Lucy； in startling surprise that yet held a pang。 〃Oh； Creech！ 。 。
。 Then you mean me no harm！〃
The man straightened up and stood a moment； darkly silent； as if her query had
presented a new aspect of the case。 〃Lucy Bostil； I'm a broken man an' wild
an' full of hate。 But God knows I never thought of thetof harm to you。 。 。 。
No； child； I won't harm you。 But you must obey an' go quietly； for there's a
devil in me。〃
〃Where will you take me？〃 she asked。
〃Down in the canyons； where no one can track me；〃 he said。 〃It'll be hard
goin' fer you； child； an' hard fare。 。 。 。 But I'm strikin' at Bostil's heart
as he has broken mine。 I'll send him word。 An' I'll tell him if he won't give
his hosses thet I'll sell you to Cordts。〃
〃Oh； Creechbut you wouldn't！〃 she whispered； and her hand went to his brawny
arm。
〃Lucy； in thet case I'd make as poor a blackguard as anythin' else I've been；〃
he said； forlornly。 〃But I'm figgerin' Bostil will give up his hosses fer
you。〃
〃Creech； I'm afraid he won't。 You'd better give me up。 Let me go back。 I'll
never tell。 I don't blame you。 I think you're square。 My dad is。 。 。 。 But；
oh； don't make ME suffer！ You used toto care for me； when I was little。〃
〃Thet ain't no use；〃 he replied。 〃Don't talk no more。 。 。 。 Git up hyar now
an' ride in front of me。〃
He led her to a lean mustang。 Lucy swung into the saddle。 She thought how
singular a coincidence it was that she had worn a riding…habit。 It was dark
and thick； and comfortable for riding。 Suppose she had worn the flimsy dress；
in which she had met Slone every night save this one？ Thought of Slone gave
her a pang。 He would wait and wait and wait。 He would go back to his cabin；
not knowing what had befallen her。
Suddenly Lucy noticed another man； near at hand； holding two mustangs。 He
mounted； rode before her； and then she recognized Joel Creech。 Assurance of
this brought back something of the dread。 But the father could control the
son！
〃Ride on；〃 said Creech； hitting her horse from behind。
And Lucy found herself riding single file； with two men and a pack…horse； out
upon the windy； dark sage slope。 They faced the direction of the monuments；
looming now and then so weirdly black and grand against the broad flare of
lightning…blazed sky。
Ever since Lucy had reached her teens there had been predictions that she
would be kidnapped； and now the thing had come to pass。 She was in danger； she
knew； but in infinitely less than had any other wild character of the uplands
been her captor。 She believed； if she went quietly and obediently with Creech；
that she would be； at least； safe from harm。 It was hard luck for Bostil； she
thought； but no worse than he deserved。 Retribution had overtaken him。 How
terribly hard he would take the loss of his horses！ Lucy wondered if he really
ever would part with the King； even to save her from privation and peril。
Bostil was more likely to trail her with his riders and to kill the Creeches
than to concede their demands。 Perhaps； though； that threat to sell her to
Cordts would frighten the hard old man。
The horses trotted and swung up over the slope； turning gradually； evidently
to make a wide detour round the Ford； until Lucy's back was toward the
monuments。 Before her stretched the bleak； barren； dark desert； and through
the opaque gloom she could see nothing。 Lucy knew she was headed for the
north； toward the wild canyons； unknown to the riders。 Cordts and his gang hid
in there。 What might not happen if the Creeches fell in with Cordts？ Lucy's
confidence sustained a check。 Still； she remembered the Creeches were like
Indians。 And what would Slone do？ He would ride out on her trail。 Lucy
shivered for the Creeches if Slone ever caught up with them； and remembering
his wild…horse…hunter's skill at tracking； and the fleet and tireless
Wildfire； she grew convinced that Creech could not long hold her captive。 For
Slone would be wary。 He would give no sign of his pursuit。 He would steal upon
the Creeches in the dark and Lucy shivered again。 What an awful fate had
been that of Dick Sears！
So as she rode on Lucy's mind was full。 She was used to riding； and in the
motion of a horse there was something in harmony with her blood。 Even now；
with worry and dread and plotting strong upon her； habit had such power over
her that riding made the hours fleet。 She was surprised to be halted； to see
dimly low； dark mounds of rock ahead。
〃Git off；〃 said Creech。
〃Where are we？〃 asked Lucy。
〃Reckon hyar's the rocks。 An' you sleep some； fer you'll need it。〃 He spread a
blanket； laid her saddle at the head of it； and dropped another blanket。 〃What
I want to know isshall I tie you up or not？〃 asked Creech。 〃If I do you'll
git sore。 An' this'll be the toughest trip you ever made。〃
〃You mean will I try to get away from youor not？〃 queried Lucy。
〃Jest thet。〃
Lucy pondered。 She divined some fineness of feeling in this coarse man。 He
wanted to spare her not only pain； but the necessity of watchful eyes on her
every moment。 Lucy did not like to promise not to try to escape； if
opportunity presented。 Still； she reasoned； that once deep in the canyons；
where she would be in another day； she would be worse off if she did get away。
The memory of Cordts's cavernous； hungry eyes upon her was not a small factor
in Lucy's decision。
〃Creech； if I give my word not to try to get away； would you believe me？〃 she
asked。
Creech was slow in replying。 〃Reckon I would；〃 he said； finally。
〃All right； I'll give it。〃
〃An' thet's sense。 Now you lay down。〃
Lucy did as she was bidden and pulled the blanket over her。 The place was
gloomy and still。 She heard the sound of mustangs' teeth on grass； and the
soft footfalls of the men。 Presently these sounds ceased。 A cold wind blew
over her face and rustled in the sage near her。 Gradually the chill passed
away； and a stealing warmth took its place。 Her eyes grew tired。 What had
happened to her？ With eyes closed she thought it was all a dream。 Then the
feeling of the hard saddle as a pillow under her head told her she was indeed
far from her comfortable little room。 What would poor Aunt Jane do in the
morning when she discovered who was missing？ What would Holley do？ When would
Bostil return？ It might be soon and it might be days。 And SloneLucy felt
sorriest for him。 For he loved her best。 She thrilled at thought of Slone on
that grand horseon her Wildfire。 And with her mind running on and on；
seemingly making sleep impossible； the thoughts at last became dreams。 Lucy
awakened at dawn。 One hand ached with cold； for it had been outside the
blanket。 Her hard bed had cramped her muscles。 She heard the crackling of fire
and smelled cedar smoke。 In the gray of morning she saw the Creeches round a
camp…fire。
Lucy got up then。 Both men saw her； but made no comment。 In that cold； gray
dawn she felt her predicament more gravely。 Her hair was damp。 She had ridden
nearly all night without a hat。 She had absolutely nothing of her own except
what was on her body。 But Lucy thanked her lucky stars that she had worn the
thick riding…suit and her boots； for otherwise； in a summer dress； her
condition would soon have been miserable。
〃Come an' eat；〃 said Creech。 〃You have sensean' eat if it sticks in your
throat。〃
Bostil had always contended in his arguments with riders that a man should eat
heartily on the start of a trip so that the finish might find him strong。 And
Lucy ate； though the coarse fare sickened her。 Once she looked curiously at
Joel Creech。 She felt his eyes upo