ng with late this afternoon and crushed so
that it's all but torn off."

Into the light cast by the hotel porch-lamp Norton, leading Persis,
rode around the corner of the building.

"I was just going out," said Virginia. "But I'll go on this case
first. Mr. Norton is riding with me. Please ask him to wait while I
get my other bag."

In her room again, the lamp lighted on her table, she stood a moment
frowning thoughtfully into vacancy. Then with a quick shake of the
head she snatched up the two other bags which might be needed in
treating Tony's hurt and again hastened out. Norton bending from his
saddle took them from her. As Struve relinquished into her gantletted
hands the reins of Persis's bridle she swung lightly up to the mare's
back.

"The poor fellow must be suffering all kinds of torture," she said as
Norton reined in with her. "Let's hurry."

He offered no answer as they clattered out of San Juan and turned out
across the level lands toward Las Estrellas. So, as upon another night
when speeding upon a similar errand, they rode for a long time in
silence. Again they two alone were pushing out into the dark and the
vast silence that was broken only by the soft thudding of their own
horses' hoofs and the creak of saddle leather and jingle of spur and
bit chains.

"You wanted to talk with me?" suggested the girl after fifteen minutes
of wordless restraint between them.

"Yes," he answered. "But not now. That is, if you will give me a
further chance after you have done what you can for poor old Tony. You
will hardly need to stay at Las Estrellas all night, I imagine. When
we leave you can listen to me. Do you mind?"

"No," she said slowly. "I don't mind. I'd rather it was then. You
and I have a good bit to think about before we do any talking. Haven't
we?"

They fell silent again. The soft beauty of the night over the southern
desert lands . . . and there is no other earthly beauty like it . . .
touched the girl's soul now as it had never done before; perhaps,
similarly, it disturbed shadows in the man's. She was distressed by
the position in which she found herself, and the night's infinite quiet
and utter peace was grateful to her. As she left the hotel her
thoughts were in chaos; she was caught in a fearsome labyrinth whence
there appeared no escape. Now, though no way out suggested itself,
still the stars were shining.

At last the twinkling lights of Las Estrellas, seeming a