embled.

"No, no," she whispered in a terrified tone. For the moment all that
was best in her rose up and threatened to defeat his end.

But James saw his mistake. For a second a flash of anger lit his eyes,
and hot resentment flew to his lips. But it found no expression.
Instead, the anger died out of his eyes, and was replaced by a fire of
passion such as had always won its way with this girl. He moved
towards her again with something subtly seductive in his manner, and
his arms closed about her unresisting form in a caress she was
powerless to deny. Passive yet palpitating she lay pressed in his
arms, all her woman's softness, all her subtle perfume, maddening him
to a frenzy.

"Won't you? I love you, Jessie, so that nothing else on earth counts.
I can't do without you--I can't--I can't!"

His hot lips crushed against hers, which yielded themselves all too
willingly. Presently he raised his head, and his eyes held hers.
"Won't you come, Jess? There's nothing here for you. See, I can give
you all you wish for: money, a fine home, as homes go hereabouts. My
ranch is a dandy place, and," with a curious laugh, "stocked with some
of the best cattle in the country. You'll have horses to ride, and
dresses--See! You can have all you want. What is there here? Nothing.
Say, you don't even get enough to eat. Scipio hasn't got more backbone
in him than to gather five cents when it's raining dollars." He kissed
her upturned face again, and the warm responsive movement of her lips
told him how easy his task really was.

But again she pressed him back, so that he held her only at arms'
length. Her swimming eyes gazed long and ardently into his.

"It isn't that, Jim," she said earnestly; "it isn't that. Those things
don't count. It's--it's you. I--I don't want dresses. I don't want the
money. I--I--want you."

Then she started, terrified again.

"But, Jim, why did you come up to this hut?" she cried. "Why didn't
you wait for me down in the bush at the river, as usual? Oh, Jim, if
anybody sees you they'll shoot you down like a dog--"

"Dog, eh?" cried the man, with a ringing laugh. "Let 'em try. But
don't you worry, Jess. No one saw me. Anyway, I don't care a curse if
they did."

"Oh, Jim!"

Then she nestled closer to him for a moment of passionate silence,
while he kissed her, prolonging the embrace with all the fire with
which he was consumed. And after that she spoke again. But now it was
the mother that would no lo