lenn's eyes or the movement of his hand that checked her
utterance? His gaze pierced her soul. His hand slid along her arm to her
waist--around it. Her heart seemed to burst.

"Kick your feet out of the stirrups," he ordered.

Instinctively she obeyed. Then with a strong pull he hauled her half
out of the saddle, pellmell into his arms. Carley had no resistance. She
sank limp, in an agony of amaze. Was this a dream? Swift and hard his
lips met hers--and again--and again....

"Oh, my God!--Glenn, are--you--mad?" she whispered, almost swooning.

"Sure--I reckon I am," he replied, huskily, and pulled her all the way
out of the saddle.

Carley would have fallen but for his support. She could not think. She
was all instinct. Only the amaze--the sudden horror--drifted--faded as
before fires of her heart!

"Kiss me!" he commanded.

She would have kissed him if death were the penalty. How his face
blurred in her dimmed sight! Was that a strange smile? Then he held her
back from him.

"Carley--you came to wish Flo and me happiness?" he asked.

"Oh, yes--yes.... Pity me, Glenn--let me go. I meant well.... I
should--never have come."

"Do you love me?" he went on, with passionate, shaking clasp.

"God help me--I do--I do!... And now it will kill me!"

"What did that damned fool Charley tell you?"

The strange content of his query, the trenchant force of it, brought her
upright, with sight suddenly cleared. Was this giant the tragic Glenn
who had strode to her from the cabin door?

"Charley told me--you and Flo--were married," she whispered.

"You didn't believe him!" returned Glenn.

She could no longer speak. She could only see her lover, as if
transfigured, limned dark against the looming red wall.

"That was one of Charley's queer jokes. I told you to beware of him. Flo
is married, yes--and very happy.... I'm unutterably happy, too--but I'm
not married. Lee Stanton was the lucky bridegroom.... Carley, the moment
I saw you I knew you had come back to me."

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Call of the Canyon, by Zane Grey

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