ou going to ride
me again?"

Carley recalled that she had avowed she would ride him. There was no
alternative, and her misgivings only made matters worse. Nevertheless,
once in the saddle, she imagined she had the hallucination that to
ride off so, with the long open miles ahead, was really thrilling. This
remarkable state of mind lasted until Spillbeans began to trot, and
then another day of misery beckoned to Carley with gray stretches of
distance.

She was to learn that misery, as well as bliss, can swallow up the
hours. She saw the monotony of cedar trees, but with blurred eyes; she
saw the ground clearly enough, for she was always looking down, hoping
for sandy places or rocky places where her mustang could not trot.

At noon the cavalcade ahead halted near a cabin and corral, which turned
out to be a sheep ranch belonging to Hutter. Here Glenn was so busy that
he had no time to devote to Carley. And Flo, who was more at home on
a horse than on the ground, rode around everywhere with the men. Most
assuredly Carley could not pass by the chance to get off Spillbeans and
to walk a little. She found, however, that what she wanted most was to
rest. The cabin was deserted, a dark, damp place with a rank odor. She
did not stay long inside.

Rain and snow began to fall, adding to what Carley felt to be a
disagreeable prospect. The immediate present, however, was cheered by
a cup of hot soup and some bread and butter which the herder Charley
brought her. By and by Glenn and Hutter returned with Flo, and all
partook of some lunch.

All too soon Carley found herself astride the mustang again. Glenn
helped her don the slicker, an abominable sticky rubber coat that
bundled her up and tangled her feet round the stirrups. She was glad to
find, though, that it served well indeed to protect her from raw wind
and rain.

"Where do we go from here?" Carley inquired, ironically.

Glenn laughed in a way which proved to Carley that he knew perfectly
well how she felt. Again his smile caused her self-reproach. Plain
indeed was it that he had really expected more of her in the way of
complaint and less of fortitude. Carley bit her lips.

Thus began the afternoon ride. As it advanced the sky grew more
threatening, the wind rawer, the cold keener, and the rain cut like
little bits of sharp ice. It blew in Carley's face. Enough snow fell to
whiten the open patches of ground. In an hour Carley realized that
she had the hardest task