e dusk had fallen; darkness was stealing
into the valley around the cabin!

Flitting here and there, she hurriedly began packing things which she
took from shelves and racks. It was an engrossing task and she was much
interested in it, so much so that she did not hear a slight sound at the
door that led out to the front porch. But when she saw a shadow darken
the doorway of the room in which she was working she stood suddenly
erect and with rapidly beating heart stole softly forward and peered
around the door-jamb. Of course it could be no one but Hollis. He had
taken the Coyote trail to-night. He would be surprised to see her.

But it was she who was surprised. Yuma stood near the table in the
center of the kitchen, looking straight at her, his insolent, evil face
drawn into a foreboding smile.

After the first gasp of horror and surprise a righteous anger stiffened
her.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

Yuma's evil smile grew. She had seen him often, usually at a distance,
for she had abhorred him, with his olive skin, his thin, cruel lips and
small glittering eyes. He had always seemed like an animal to her,
though she could not have told why. She thought it must be something in
his attitude, in the stoop which was almost a crouch, in the stealthy,
cat-like manner in which he walked. She had spoken to Ed about him more
than once, conveying to him her abhorrence of the man, and he had told
her that he felt the same about him. She shuddered now, thinking of what
her brother had told her of the man's cruelty. Dunlavey had often
boasted that Yuma was the most venomous and bloodthirsty of his crew of
cut-throats.

"What are you doing here?" she repeated, her anger growing.

Yuma laughed softly. "I saw you ridin' the Razor Back the other day," he
said, showing his teeth as the words came--even, smooth, burdened with a
subtle mockery. "I saw you again thees afternoon--but you not see me
like the other day--I watch you thees long." He held up three fingers to
denote that he had watched her three hours. She shuddered, suddenly
realizing the significance of his attitude that day she had seen him
from the Razor Back.

"Ed gone," he continued, watching her narrowly; "nobody here; I come. I
like you--much." He grinned, his eyes brightening. "I reckon you
know--you girl that understan'?"

She drew a slow deep breath. Curiously enough, next to the horror and
doubt that she felt over Yuma's presence at the cabin