There was something so sinister in the rider's disregard of stone and
tree and pace, something so menacing in the forward thrust of his body,
that Berrie was able to divine his wrath, and was smitten into
irresolution--all her hardy, boyish self-reliance swallowed up in the
weakness of the woman. She forgot the pistol at her belt, and awaited the
assault with rigid pose.
As Belden neared them Norcross also perceived that the rider's face was
distorted with passion, and that his glance was not directed upon Berrie,
but upon himself, and he braced himself for the attack.
Leaving his saddle with one flying leap, which the cowboy practises at
play, Belden hurled himself upon his rival with the fury of a panther.
The slender youth went down before the big rancher as though struck by a
catapult; and the force of his fall against the stony earth stunned him
so that he lay beneath his enemy as helpless as a child.
[Illustration: THE SLENDER YOUTH WENT DOWN BEFORE THE BIG RANCHER
AS THOUGH STRUCK BY A CATAPULT]