behind a ridge, and
he turned no more. They would go back to Lassiter's trail and follow it,
and follow in vain. So Venters rode on, with the wind growing sweeter
to taste and smell, and the purple sage richer and the sky bluer in his
sight; and the song in his ears ringing. By and by Bess halted to wait
for him, and he knew she had come to the trail. When he reached her it
was to smile at sight of her standing with arms round Black Star's neck.

"Oh, Bern! I love him!" she cried. "He's beautiful; he knows; and how
he can run! I've had fast horses. But Black Star!... Wrangle never beat
him!"

"I'm wondering if I didn't dream that. Bess, the blacks are grand. What
it must have cost Jane--ah!--well, when we get out of this wild country
with Star and Night, back to my old home in Illinois, we'll buy a
beautiful farm with meadows and springs and cool shade. There we'll turn
the horses free--free to roam and browse and drink--never to feel a spur
again--never to be ridden!"

"I would like that," said Bess.

They rested. Then, mounting, they rode side by side up the white trail.
The sun rose higher behind them. Far to the left a low fine of green
marked the site of Cottonwoods. Venters looked once and looked no
more. Bess gazed only straight ahead. They put the blacks to the
long, swinging rider's canter, and at times pulled them to a trot, and
occasionally to a walk. The hours passed, the miles slipped behind, and
the wall of rock loomed in the fore. The Notch opened wide. It was a
rugged, stony pass, but with level and open trail, and Venters and Bess
ran the blacks through it. An old trail led off to the right, taking
the line of the wall, and his Venters knew to be the trail mentioned by
Lassiter.

The little hamlet, Glaze, a white and green patch in the vast waste of
purple, lay miles down a slope much like the Cottonwoods slope, only
this descended to the west. And miles farther west a faint green spot
marked the location of Stone Bridge. All the rest of that world was
seemingly smooth, undulating sage, with no ragged lines of canyons to
accentuate its wildness.

"Bess, we're safe--we're free!" said Venters. "We're alone on the sage.
We're half way to Sterling."

"Ah! I wonder how it is with Lassiter and Miss Withersteen."

"Never fear, Bess. He'll outwit Tull. He'll get away and hide her
safely. He might climb into Surprise Valley, but I don't think he'll go
so far."

"Bern, will we ever find any place lik