There was a sort of childlike confiding in all this that troubled Ben
Connor. He had seen her with a mind as direct and an enthusiasm as
strong as that of a man. This relaxing and softening alarmed him,
because it showed him another side of her, a new and vital side. She was
very lovely with the shadows of the sombrero brim cutting across the
softness of her lips and setting aglow the clear olive tan of her chin
and throat. Her hand lay palm upward beside her, very small, very
delicate in the making. But what a power was in that hand! He realized
with a thrill of not unmixed pleasure that if the girl set herself to
the task she could mold him like wax with the gestures of that hand. If
into the softness of her voice she allowed a single note of warmth to
creep, what would happen in Ben Connor? He felt within himself a chord
ready to vibrate in answer.
Now he caught himself leaning a little closer to study the purple stain
of weariness in her eyelids. Even exhaustion was attractive in her. It
showed something new, and newly appealing. Weariness gave merely a new
edge to her beauty. What if her eyes, opening slowly now, were to look
upon him not with the gentleness of friendship, but with something
more--the little shade of difference in a girl's wide eyes that admits a
man to her secrets--and traps him in so doing.
Ben Connor drew himself up with a shake of the shoulders. He felt that
he must keep careful guard from now on. What a power she was. What a
power! If she set herself to the task who could deal with her? What man
could keep from her? Then the picture of David jumped into his mind out
of nothingness. And on the heels of that picture the inspiration came
with a sudden uplifting of the heart, surety, intoxicating insight. He
wanted to jump to his feet and shout until the great ravine beneath them
echoed. With an effort he remained quiet. But he was thinking
rapidly--rapidly. He had intended to use her merely to arrange for
shipping Shakra away from Lukin Junction. For he dared not linger about
the town where expert horse thieves might see the mare. But now
something new, something more came to him. The girl was a power? Why not
use her?