Despite　her　aches；　she　did　justice　to　the　supper。　It　amazed　her　that　appetite　consumed　her　to　the　extent　of　overcoming　a　distaste　for　this　strong；　coarse　cooking。　Before　the　meal　ended　darkness　had　fallen；　a　windy　raw　darkness　that　enveloped　heavily　like　a　blanket。　Presently　Carley　edged　closer　to　the　fire；　and　there　she　stayed；　alternately　turning　back　and　front　to　the　welcome　heat。　She　seemingly　roasted　hands；　face；　and　knees　while　her　back　froze。　The　wind　blew　the　smoke　in　all　directions。　When　she　groped　around　with　blurred；　smarting　eyes　to　escape　the　hot　smoke；　it　followed　her。　The　other　members　of　the　party　sat　comfortably　on　sacks　or　rocks；　without　much　notice　of　the　smoke　that　so　exasperated　Carley。　Twice　Glenn　insisted　that　she　take　a　seat　he　had　fixed　for　her；　but　she　preferred　to　stand　and　move　around　a　little。
  By　and　by　the　camp　tasks　of　the　men　appeared　to　be　ended；　and　all　gathered　near　the　fire　to　lounge　and　smoke　and　talk。　Glenn　and　Hutter　engaged　in　interested　conversation　with　two　Mexicans；　evidently　sheep　herders。　If　the　wind　and　cold　had　not　made　Carley　so　uncomfortable　she　might　have　found　the　scene　picturesque。　How　black　the　night！　She　could　scarcely　distinguish　the　sky　at　all。　The　cedar　branches　swished　in　the　wind；　and　from　the　gloom　came　a　low　sound　of　waves　lapping　a　rocky　shore。　Presently　Glenn　held　up　a　hand。
  〃Listen；　Carley！〃　he　said。
  Then　she　heard　strange　wild　yelps；　staccato；　piercing；　somehow　infinitely　lonely。　They　made　her　shudder。
  〃Coyotes；〃　said　Glenn。　〃You'll　come　to　love　that　chorus。　Hear　the　dogs　bark　back。〃
  Carley　listened　with　interest；　but　she　was　inclined　to　doubt　that　she　would　ever　become　enamoured　of　such　wild　cries。
  〃Do　coyotes　come　near　camp？〃　she　queried。
  〃Shore。　Sometimes　they　pull　your　pillow　out　from　under　your　head；〃　replied　Flo；　laconically。
  Carley　did　not　ask　any　more　questions。　Natural　history　was　not　her　favorite　study　and　she　was　sure　she　could　dispense　with　any　first…hand　knowledge　of　desert　beasts。　She　thought；　however；　she　heard　one　of　the　men　say；　〃Big　varmint　prowlin'　round　the　sheep。〃　To　which　Hutter　replied；　〃Reckon　it　was　a　bear。〃　And　Glenn　said；　〃I　saw　his　fresh　track　by　the　lake。　Some　bear！〃
  The　heat　from　the　fire　made　Carley　so　drowsy　that　she　could　scarcely　hold　up　her　head。　She　longed　for　bed　even　if　it　was　out　there　in　the　open。　Presently　Flo　called　her：　〃Come。　Let's　walk　a　little　before　turning　in。〃
  So　Carley　permitted　herself　to　be　led　to　and　fro　down　an　open　aisle　between　some　cedars。　The　far　end　of　that　aisle；　dark；　gloomy；　with　the　bushy　secretive　cedars　all　around；　caused　Carley　apprehension　she　was　ashamed　to　admit。　Flo　talked　eloquently　about　the　joys　of　camp　life；　and　how　the　harder　any　outdoor　task　was　and　the　more　endurance　and　pain　it　required；　the　more　pride　and　pleasure　one　had　in　remembering　it。　Carley　was　weighing　the　import　of　these　words　when　suddenly　Flo　clutched　her　arm。　〃What's　that？〃　she　whispered；　tensely。
  Carley　stood　stockstill。　They　had　reached　the　furthermost　end　of　that　aisle；　but　had　turned　to　go　back。　The　flare　of　the　camp　fire　threw　a　wan　light　into　the　shadows　before　them。　There　came　a　rustling　in　the　brush；　a　snapping　of　twigs。　Cold　tremors　chased　up　and　down　Carley's　back。
  〃Shore　it's　a　varmint；　all　right。　Let's　hurry；〃　whispered　Flo。
  Carley　needed　no　urging。　It　appeared　that　Flo　was　not　going　to　run。　She　walked　fast；　peering　back　over　her　shoulder；　and；　hanging　to　Carley's　arm；　she　rounded　a　large　cedar　that　had　obstructed　some　of　the　firelight。　The　gloom　was　not　so　thick　here。　And　on　the　instant　Carley　espied　a　low；　moving　object；　somehow　furry；　and　gray　in　color。　She　gasped。　She　could　not　speak。　Her　heart　gave　a　mighty　throb　and　seemed　to　stop。
  〃Whatdo　you　see？〃　cried　Flo；　sharply；　peering　ahead。　〃Oh！　。　。　。　Come；　Carley。　Run！〃
  Flo's　cry　showed　she　must　nearly　be　strangled　with　terror。　But　Carley　was　frozen　in　her　tracks。　Her　eyes　were　riveted　upon　the　gray　furry　object。　It　stopped。　Then　it　came　faster。　It　magnified。　It　was　a　huge　beast。　Carley　had　no　control　over　mind；　heart；　voice；　or　muscle。　Her　legs　gave　way。　She　was　sinking。　A　terrible　panic；　icy；　sickening；　rending；　possessed　her　whole　body。
  The　huge　gray　thing　came　at　her。　Into　the　rushing　of　her　ears　broke　thudding　sounds。　The　thing　leaped　up。　A　horrible　petrifaction　suddenly　made　stone　of　Carley。　Then　she　saw　a　gray　mantlelike　object　cast　aside　to　disclose　the　dark　form　of　a　man。　Glenn！
  〃Carley；　dog…gone　it！　You　don't　scare　worth　a　cent；〃　he　laughingly　complained。
  She　collapsed　into　his　arms。　The　liberating　shock　was　as　great　as　had　been　her　terror。　She　began　to　tremble　violently。　Her　hands　got　back　a　sense　of　strength　to　clutch。　Heart　and　blood　seemed　released　from　that　ice…banded　vise。
  〃Say；　I　believe　you　were　scared；〃　went　on　Glenn；　bending　over　her。
  〃Scar…ed！〃　she　gasped。　〃Ohthere's　no　wordto　tellwhat　I　was！〃
  Flo　came　running　back；　giggling　with　joy。　〃Glenn；　she　shore　took　you　for　a　bear。　Why；　I　felt　her　go　stiff　as　a　post！　。　。　。　Hal　Ha！　Hal　Carley；　now　how　do　you　like　the　wild　and　woolly？〃
  〃Oh！　You　put　up…a　trick　on　me！〃　ejaculated　Carley。　〃Glenn；　how　could　you？　。　。　。　Such　a　terrible　trick！　I　wouldn't　have　minded　something　reasonable。　But　that！　Oh；　I'll　never　forgive　you！〃
  Glenn　showed　remorse；　and　kissed　her　before　Flo　in　a　way　that　made　some　little　amends。　〃Maybe　I　overdid　it；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　thought　you'd　have　a　momentary　start；　you　know；　enough　to　make　you　yell；　and　then　you'd　see　through　it。　I　only　had　a　sheepskin　over　my　shoulders　as　I　crawled　on　hands　and　knees。〃
  〃Glenn；　for　me　you　were　a　prehistoric　monstera　dinosaur；　or　something；〃　replied　Carley。
  It　developed；　upon　their　return　to　the　campfire　circle；　that　everybody　had　been　in　the　joke；　and　they　all　derived　hearty　enjoyment　from　it。
  〃Reckon　that　makes　you　one　of　us；〃　said　Hutter；　genially。　〃We've　all　had　our　scares。〃
  Carley　wondered　if　she　were　not　so　constituted　that　such　trickery　alienated　her。　Deep　in　her　heart　she　resented　being　made　to　show　her　cowardice。　But　then　she　realized　that　no　one　had　really　seen　any　evidence　of　her　state。　It　was　fun　to　them。
  Soon　after　this　incident　Hutter　sounded　what　he　called　the　roll…call　for　bed。　Following　Flo's　instructions；　Carley　sat　on　their　bed；　pulled　off　her　boots；　folded　coat　and　sweater　at　her　head；　and　slid　down　under　the　blankets。　How　strange　and　hard　a　bed！　Yet　Carley　had　the　most　delicious　sense　of　relief　and　rest　she　had　ever　experienced。　She　straightened　out　on　her　back　with　a　feeling　that　she　had　never　before　appreciated　the　luxury　of　lying　down。
  Flo　cuddled　up　to　her　in　quite　sisterly　fashion；　saying：　〃Now　don't　cover　your　head。　If　it　rains　I'll　wake　and　pull　up　the　tarp。　Good　night；　Carley。〃　And　almost　immediately　she　seemed　to　fall　asleep。
  For　Carley；　however；　sleep　did　not　soon　come。　She　had　too　many　aches；　the　aftermath　of　her　shock　of　fright　abided　with　her；　and　the　blackness　of　night；　the　cold　whip　of　wind　over　her　face；　and　the　unprotected　helplessness　she　felt　in　this　novel　bed；　were　too　entirely　new　and　disturbing　to　be　overcome　at　once。　So　she　lay　wide　eyed；　staring　at　the　dense　gray　shadow；　at　the　flickering　lights　upon　the　cedar。　At　length　her　mind　formed　a　conclusion　that　this　sort　of　thing　might　be　worth　the　hardship　once　in　a　lifetime；　anyway。　What　a　concession　to　Glenn's　West！　In　the　secret　seclusion　of　her　mind　she　had　to　confess　that　if　her　vanity　had　not　been　so　assaulted　and　humiliated　she　might　have　enjoyed　herself　more。　It　seemed　impossible；　however；　to　have　thrills　and　pleasures　and　exaltations　in　the　face　of　discomfort；　privation；　and　an　uneasy　half…acknowledged　fear。　No　woman　could　have　either　a　good　or　a　profitable　time　when　she　was　at　her　worst。　Carley　thought　she　would　not　be　averse　to　getting　Flo　Hutter　to　New　York；　into　an　atmosphere　wholly　strange　and　difficult；　and　see　how　she　met　situation　after　situation　unfamiliar　to　her。　And　so　Carley's　mind　drifted　on　until　at　last　she　succumbed　to　drowsiness。
  A　voice　pierced　her　dreams　of　home；　of　warmth　and　comfort。　Something　sharp；　cold；　and　fragrant　was　scratching　her　eyes。　She　opened　them。　Glenn　stood　over　her；　pushing　a　sprig　of　cedar　into　her　face。
  〃Carley；　the　day　is　far　spent；〃　he　said；　gayly。　〃We　want　to　roll　up　your　bedding。　Will　you　get　out　of　it？〃
  〃Hello；　Glenn！　What　time　is　it？〃　she　replied。
  〃It's　nearly　six。〃
  〃What！　。　。　。　Do　you　expect　me　to　get　up　at　that　ungodly　hour？〃
  〃We're　all　up。　Flo's　eating　breakfast。　It's　going　to　be　a　bad　day；　I'm　afraid。　And　we　want　to　get　packed　and　moving　before　it　starts　to　rain。〃
  〃Why　do　girls　leave　home？〃　she　asked；　tragically。
  〃To　make　poor　devils　happy；　of　course；〃　he　replied；　smiling　down　upon　her。
  That　smile　made　up　to　Carley　for　all　the　clamoring　sensations　of　stiff；　sore　muscles。　It　made　her　ashamed　that　she　could　not　fling　herself　into　this　adventure　with　all　her　heart。　Carley　essayed　to　sit　up。　〃Oh；　I'm　afraid　my　anatomy　has　become　disconnected！　。　。　。　Glenn；　do　I　look　a　sight？〃　She　never　would　have　asked　him　that　if　she　had　not　known　she　could　bear　inspection　at　such　an　inopportune　moment。
  〃You　look　great；〃　he　asserted；　heartily。　〃You've　got　color。　And　as　for　your　hairI　like　to　see　it　mussed　that　way。　You　were