olation took possession of
the girl. She felt as if she were in an endless flight from an unseen
pursuer, who would never give up until he had her.

It was high noon by the glaring sun when she suddenly saw another human
being. At first she was not quite sure whether he were human. It was only
a distant view of a moving speck; but it was coming toward her, though
separated by a wide valley that had stretched already for miles. He was
moving along against the sky-line on a high bench on one side of the
valley, and she mounting as fast as her weary beast would go to the top of
another, hoping to find a grassy stretch and a chance to rest.

But the sight of the moving speck startled her. She watched it
breathlessly as they neared each other. Could it be a wild beast? No, it
must be a horse and rider. A moment later there came a puff of smoke as
from a rifle discharged, followed by the distant echo of the discharge. It
was a man, and he was yet a great way off. Should she turn and flee before
she was discovered? But where? Should she go back? No, a thousand times,
no! Her enemy was there. This could not be the one from whom she fled. He
was coming from the opposite direction, but he might be just as bad. Her
experience taught her that men were to be shunned. Even fathers and
brothers were terribly uncertain, sorrow-bringing creatures.

She could not go back to the place where the dead man lay. She must not go
back. And forward she was taking the only course that seemed at all
possible through the natural obstructions of the region. She shrank to her
saddle, and urged the patient horse on. Perhaps she could reach the bench
and get away out of sight before the newcomer saw her.

But the way was longer to the top, and steeper than it had seemed at
first, and the horse was tired. Sometimes he stopped of his own accord,
and snorted appealingly to her with his head turned inquiringly as if to
know how long and how far this strange ride was to continue. Then the man
in the distance seemed to ride faster. The valley between them was not so
wide here. He was quite distinctly a man now, and his horse was going
rapidly. Once it seemed as if he waved his arms; but she turned her head,
and urged her horse with sudden fright. They were almost to the top now.
She dismounted and clambered alongside of the animal up the steep incline,
her breath coming in quick gasps, with the horse's breath hot upon her
cheek as they climbed together.