ich looked down upon a wooded valley. His eyes swept the
landscape and came to rest upon an object moving slowly in the
mesquite. He watched it incuriously, but his interest quickened when
it came out of the bushes into a dry water-course and he discovered
that the figure was that of a human being. The person walked with an
odd, dragging limp. Presently he discerned that the traveler below was
a woman and that she was pulling something after her. For perhaps
fifty yards she would keep going and then would stop. Once she
crouched down over her load.

Roy cupped his hands at his mouth and shouted. The figure straightened
alertly and looked around. He called to her again. His voice must
have reached her very faintly. She did not try to answer in words, but
fired twice with a revolver. Evidently she had not yet seen him.

That there was something wrong Beaudry felt sure. He did not know
what, nor did he waste any time speculating about it. The easiest
descent to the valley was around the rear of the bluff, but Roy
clambered down a heavily wooded gulch a little to the right. He saved
time by going directly.

When Roy saw the woman again he was close upon her. She was stooped
over something and her back and arms showed tension. At sound of his
approach she flung up quickly the mass of inky black hair that had
hidden her bent face. As she rose it became apparent that she was tall
and slender, and that the clear complexion, just now at least, was
quite without color.

Moving forward through the underbrush, Beaudry took stock of this dusky
nymph with surprise. In her attitude was something wild and free and
proud. It was as if she challenged his presence even though she had
summoned him. Across his mind flashed the thought that this was woman
primeval before the conventions of civilization had tamed her to its
uses.

Her intent eyes watched him steadily as he came into the open.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I was on the bluff and saw you. I thought you were in trouble. You
limped as if--"

He stopped, amazed. For the first time he saw that her foot was caught
in a wolf trap. This explained the peculiarity of gait he had noticed
from above. She had been dragging the heavy Newhouse trap and the clog
with her as she walked. One glance at her face was enough to show how
greatly she was suffering.

Fortunately she was wearing a small pair of high-heeled boots such as
cowpunchers use, and the s