They were still in the midst of the yellow featureless plain, but
the weary horses had slowed down to a walk, the heavy sand retarding
progress. It was a gloomy, depressing scene in the spectral gray light,
a wide circle of intense loneliness, unbroken by either dwarfed shrub
or bunch of grass, a barren expanse stretching to the sky. Vague cloud
shadows seemed to flit across the level surface, assuming fantastic
shapes, but all of the same dull coloring, imperfect and unfinished.
Nothing seemed tangible or real, but rather some grotesque picture of
delirium, ever merging into another yet more hideous. The very silence
of those surrounding wastes seemed burdensome, adding immeasurably to
the horror. They were but specks crawling underneath the sky--the only
living, moving objects in all that immense circle of desolation and
death.
Keith turned in the saddle, looking back past Neb--who swayed in his
seat, with head lolling on his breast as though asleep, his horse
plodding after the others--along the slight trail they had made across
the desert. So far as eye could reach nothing moved, nothing apparently
existed. Fronting again to the north he looked upon the same grim
barrenness, only that far off, against the lighter background of distant
sky, there was visible a faint blur, a bluish haze, which he believed to
be the distant sand dunes bordering the Arkansas. The intense dreariness
of it all left a feeling of depression. His eyes turned and regarded the
girl riding silently beside him. The same look of depression was visible
upon her face, and she was gazing off into the dull distance with
lack-lustre eyes, her slender form leaning forward, her hands clasped
across the pommel. The long weariness of the night had left traces on
her young face, robbing it of some of its freshness, yet Keith found it
more attractive in the growing daylight than amid the lamp shadows
of the evening before. He had not previously realized the peculiar
clearness of her complexion, the rose tint showing through the olive
skin, or the soft and silky fineness of her hair, which, disarranged,
was strangely becoming under the broad brim of the hat she wore,
drawn low until it shadowed her eyes. It was not a face to be easily
associated with frontier concert halls, or any surrender to evil; the
chin round and firm, the lips full, yet sufficiently compressed; the
whole expression that of pure and dignified womanhood. She puzzled him,
and he scarcely knew what to believe, or exactly how to act toward her.
“Our friends back yonder should be turning out from the corral by now,”
he said finally, anxious to break the silence, for she had not spoken
since he ended his tale. “It will not be long until they discover
Hawley's predicament, and perhaps the welkin already rings with
profanity. That may even account for the blue haze out yonder.”
She turned her eyes toward him, and the slightest trace of a smile
appeared from out the depths of their weariness.
“If they would only remain satisfied with that. Will they follow us, do
you think? And are we far enough away by this time to be safe?”
“It is hardly likely they will let us escape without a chase,” he
answered slowly. “We possess too much information now that we have
their rendezvous located, and 'Black Bart' will have a private grudge to
revenge. I wonder if he suspects who attacked him! But don't worry, Miss
Hope; we have miles the start, and the wind has been strong enough to
cover our trail. Do you see that dark irregularity ahead?”
“Yes; is it a cloud?”
“No; the Arkansas sand dunes. I am going to try to keep the horses
moving until we arrive there. Then we will halt and eat whatever Neb has
packed behind him, and rest for an hour or two. You look very tired,
but I hope you can keep up for that distance. We shall be safely out of
sight then.”
“Indeed, I am tired; the strain of waiting alone in that cabin, and
all that happened last night, have tried me severely. But--but I can go
through.”
Her voice proved her weakness, although it was determined enough, and
Keith, yielding to sudden impulse, put out his hand, and permitted it to
rest upon hers, clasped across the pommel. Her eyes drooped, but there
was no change of posture.
“Your nerve is all right,” he said, admiringly, “you have shown yourself
a brave girl.”
“I could not be a coward, and be my father's daughter,” she replied,
with an odd accent of pride in her choking voice, “but I have been
afraid, and--and I am still.”
“Of what? Surely, not that those fellows will ever catch up with us?”
“No, I hardly know what, only there is a dread I cannot seem to shake
off, as if some evil impended, the coming of which I can feel, but not
see. Have you ever experienced any such premonition?”
He laughed, withdrawing his hand.
“I think not. I am far too prosaic a mortal to allow dreams to worry
me. So far I have discovered sufficient trouble in real life to keep my
brain active. Even now I cannot forget how hungry I am.”
She did not answer, comprehending how useless it would be to explain,
and a little ashamed of her own ill-defined fears, and thus they rode
on in silence. He did not notice that she glanced aside at him shyly,
marking the outline of his clear-cut features, silhouetted against the
far-off sky. It was a manly face, strong, alive, full of character, the
well-shaped head firmly poised, the broad shoulders squared in spite of
the long night of weary exertion. The depths of her eyes brightened with
appreciation.
“I believe your story, Mr. Keith,” she said at last softly.
“My story?” questioningly, and turning instantly toward her.
“Yes; all that you have told me about what happened.”
“Oh; I had almost forgotten having told it, but I never felt any doubt
but what you would believe. I don't think I could lie to you.”
It was no compliment, but spoken with such evident honesty that her eyes
met his with frankness.
“There could be no necessity; only I wanted you to know that I trust
you, and am grateful.”
She extended her hand this time, and he took it within his own, holding
it firmly, yet without knowing what to answer. There was strong impulse
within him to question her, to learn then and there her own life story.
Yet, somehow, the reticence of the girl restrained him; he could not
deliberately probe beneath the veil she kept lowered between them.
Until she chose to lift it herself voluntarily, he possessed no right
to intrude. The gentlemanly instincts of younger years held him silent,
realizing clearly that whatever secret might dominate her life, it was
hers to conceal just so long as she pleased. Out of this swift struggle
of repression he managed to say:
“I appreciate your confidence, and mean to prove worthy. Perhaps some
day I can bring you the proofs.”
“I need none other than your own word.”
“Oh, but possibly you are too easily convinced; you believed in Hawley.”
She looked at him searchingly, her eyes glowing, her cheeks flushed.
“Yes,” she said slowly, convincingly. “I know I did; I--I was so anxious
to be helped, but--but this is different.”
It was noon, the sun pitiless and hot above them, before they straggled
within the partial shelter of the sand dunes, and sank wearily down to
their meagre lunch. Their supply of water was limited, and the exhausted
ponies must wait until they reached the river to quench their thirst.
Yet this was not very far off now, and Keith had seen enough of their
surroundings to locate the position of the ford. Slow as they must
proceed, three hours more would surely bring them to the bank of the
stream. They discussed their plans briefly as the three sat together on
the warm sand, revived both by the food and the brief rest. There was
not a great deal to be determined, only where the girl should be left,
and how the two men had better proceed to escape observation.
Fort Larned was the nearest and safest place for their charge, none
of the party expressing any desire to adventure themselves within the
immediate neighborhood of Carson City. What her future plans might be
were not revealed, and Keith forebore any direct questioning. His
duty plainly ended with placing her in a safe environment, and he felt
convinced that Mrs. Murphy, of the Occidental Hotel, would furnish room,
and, if necessary, companionship. The sole problem remaining--after she
had rather listlessly agreed to such an arrangement--was to so plan the
details as to permit the negro and himself to slip through the small
town clustered about the post without attracting undue attention. No
doubt, the story of their escape had already reached there, embellished
by telling, and serious trouble might result from discovery. Keith was
surprised at the slight interest she exhibited in these arrangements,
merely signifying her acquiescence by a word, but he charged it to
physical weariness, and the reaction from her night of peril; yet he
took pains to explain fully his plan, and to gain her consent.
This finally settled, they mounted again and rode on through the lanes
traversing the sand dunes, keeping headed as straight as possible toward
the river. The ford sought was some miles down stream, but with the
horses' thirst mitigated, they made excellent progress, and arrived at
the spot early in the evening. Not in all the day had they encountered
a living object, or seen a moving thing amid the surrounding desolation.
Now, looking across to the north, a few gleaming lights told of Fort
Larned perched upon the opposite bluffs.