f　Carley　Burch。　How　she　hated　that　dreary；　cold；　flat　land　the　road　bisected　without　end。　It　felt　as　if　she　rode　hours　to　cover　a　mile。　In　open　stretches　she　saw　the　whole　party　straggling　along；　separated　from　one　another；　and　each　for　himself。　They　certainly　could　not　be　enjoying　themselves。　Carley　shut　her　eyes；　clutched　the　pommel　of　the　saddle；　trying　to　support　her　weight。　How　could　she　endure　another　mile？　Alas！　there　might　be　many　miles。　Suddenly　a　terrible　shock　seemed　to　rack　her。　But　it　was　only　that　Spillbeans　had　once　again　taken　to　a　trot。　Frantically　she　pulled　on　the　bridle。　He　was　not　to　be　thwarted。　Opening　her　eyes；　she　saw　a　cabin　far　ahead　which　probably　was　the　destination　for　the　night。　Carley　knew　she　would　never　reach　it；　yet　she　clung　on　desperately。　What　she　dreaded　was　the　return　of　that　stablike　pain　in　her　side。　It　came；　and　life　seemed　something　abject　and　monstrous。　She　rode　stiff　legged；　with　her　hands　propping　her　stiffly　above　the　pommel；　but　the　stabbing　pain　went　right　on；　and　in　deeper。　When　the　mustang　halted　his　trot　beside　the　other　horses　Carley　was　in　the　last　extremity。　Yet　as　Glenn　came　to　her；　offering　a　hand；　she　still　hid　her　agony。　Then　Flo　called　out　gayly：　〃Carley；　you've　done　twenty…five　miles　on　as　rotten　a　day　as　I　remember。　Shore　we　all　hand　it　to　you。　And　I'm　confessing　I　didn't　think　you'd　ever　stay　the　ride　out。　Spillbeans　is　the　meanest　nag　we've　got　and　he　has　the　hardest　gait。〃
  CHAPTER　V
  Later　Carley　leaned　back　in　a　comfortable　seat；　before　a　blazing　fire　that　happily　sent　its　acrid　smoke　up　the　chimney；　pondering　ideas　in　her　mind。
  There　could　be　a　relation　to　familiar　things　that　was　astounding　in　its　revelation。　To　get　off　a　horse　that　had　tortured　her；　to　discover　an　almost　insatiable　appetite；　to　rest　weary；　aching　body　before　the　genial　warmth　of　a　beautiful　firethese　were　experiences　which　Carley　found　to　have　been　hitherto　unknown　delights。　It　struck　her　suddenly　and　strangely　that　to　know　the　real　truth　about　anything　in　life　might　require　infinite　experience　and　understanding。　How　could　one　feel　immense　gratitude　and　relief；　or　the　delight　of　satisfying　acute　hunger；　or　the　sweet　comfort　of　rest；　unless　there　had　been　circumstances　of　extreme　contrast？　She　had　been　compelled　to　suffer　cruelly　on　horseback　in　order　to　make　her　appreciate　how　good　it　was　to　get　down　on　the　ground。　Otherwise　she　never　would　have　known。　She　wondered；　then；　how　true　that　principle　Plight　be　in　all　experience。　It　gave　strong　food　for　thought。　There　were　things　in　the　world　never　before　dreamed　of　in　her　philosophy。
  Carley　was　wondering　if　she　were　narrow　and　dense　to　circumstances　of　life　differing　from　her　own　when　a　remark　of　Flo's　gave　pause　to　her　reflections。
  〃Shore　the　worst　is　yet　to　come。〃　Flo　had　drawled。
  Carley　wondered　if　this　distressing　statement　had　to　do　in　some　way　with　the　rest　of　the　trip。　She　stifled　her　curiosity。　Painful　knowledge　of　that　sort　would　come　quickly　enough。
  〃Flo；　are　you　girls　going　to　sleep　here　in　the　cabin？〃　inquired　Glenn。
  〃Shore。　It's　cold　and　wet　outside；〃　replied　Flo。
  〃Well；　Felix；　the　Mexican　herder；　told　me　some　Navajos　had　been　bunking　here。〃
  〃Navajos？　You　mean　Indians？〃　interposed　Carley；　with　interest。
  〃Shore　do；〃　said　Flo。　〃I　knew　that。　But　don't　mind　Glenn。　He's　full　of　tricks；　Carley。　He'd　give　us　a　hunch　to　lie　out　in　the　wet　〃
  Hutter　burst　into　his　hearty　laugh。　〃Wal；　I'd　rather　get　some　things　anyday　than　a　bad　cold。〃
  〃Shore　I've　had　both；〃　replied　Flo；　in　her　easy　drawl；　〃and　I'd　prefer　the　cold。　But　for　Carley's　sake〃
  〃Pray　don't　consider　me；〃　said　Carley。　The　rather　crude　drift　of　the　conversation　affronted　her。
  〃Well；　my　dear；〃　put　in　Glenn；　〃it's　a　bad　night　outside。　We'll　all　make　our　beds　here。〃
  〃Glenn；　you　shore　are　a　nervy　fellow；〃　drawled　Flo。
  Long　after　everybody　was　in　bed　Carley　lay　awake　in　the　blackness　of　the　cabin；　sensitively　fidgeting　and　quivering　over　imaginative　contact　with　creeping　things。　The　fire　had　died　out。　A　cold　air　passed　through　the　room。　On　the　roof　pattered　gusts　of　rain。　Carley　heard　a　rustling　of　mice。　It　did　not　seem　possible　that　she　could　keep　awake；　yet　she　strove　to　do　so。　But　her　pangs　of　body；　her　extreme　fatigue　soon　yielded　to　the　quiet　and　rest　of　her　bed；　engendering　a　drowsiness　that　proved　irresistible。
  Morning　brought　fair　weather　and　sunshine；　which　helped　to　sustain　Carley　in　her　effort　to　brave　out　her　pains　and　woes。　Another　disagreeable　day　would　have　forced　her　to　humiliating　defeat。　Fortunately　for　her；　the　business　of　the　men　was　concerned　with　the　immediate　neighborhood；　in　which　they　expected　to　stay　all　morning。
  〃Flo；　after　a　while　persuade　Carley　to　ride　with　you　to　the　top　of　this　first　foothill；〃　said　Glenn。　〃It's　not　far；　and　it's　worth　a　good　deal　to　see　the　Painted　Desert　from　there。　The　day　is　clear　and　the　air　free　from　dust。〃
  〃Shore。　Leave　it　to　me。　I　want　to　get　out　of　camp；　anyhow。　That　conceited　hombre；　Lee　Stanton；　will　be　riding　in　here；〃　answered　Flo；　laconically。
  The　slight　knowing　smile　on　Glenn's　face　and　the　grinning　disbelief　on　Mr。　Hutter's　were　facts　not　lost　upon　Carley。　And　when　Charley；　the　herder；　deliberately　winked　at　Carley；　she　conceived　the　idea　that　Flo；　like　many　women；　only　ran　off　to　be　pursued。　In　some　manner　Carley　did　not　seek　to　analyze；　the　purported　advent　of　this　Lee　Stanton　pleased　her。　But　she　did　admit　to　her　consciousness　that　women；　herself　included；　were　both　as　deep　and　mysterious　as　the　sea；　yet　as　transparent　as　an　inch　of　crystal　water。
  It　happened　that　the　expected　newcomer　rode　into　camp　before　anyone　left。　Before　he　dismounted　he　made　a　good　impression　on　Carley；　and　as　he　stepped　down　in　lazy；　graceful　action；　a　tall　lithe　figure；　she　thought　him　singularly　handsome。　He　wore　black　sombrero；　flannel　shirt；　blue　jeans　stuffed　into　high　boots；　and　long；　big…roweled　spurs。
  〃How　are　you…all？〃　was　his　greeting。
  From　the　talk　that　ensued　between　him　and　the　men；　Carley　concluded　that　he　must　be　overseer　of　the　sheep　hands。　Carley　knew　that　Hutter　and　Glenn　were　not　interested　in　cattle　raising。　And　in　fact　they　were；　especially　Hutter；　somewhat　inimical　to　the　dominance　of　the　range　land　by　cattle　barons　of　Flagstaff。
  〃When's　Ryan　goin'　to　dip？〃　asked　Hutter。
  〃Today　or　tomorrow；〃　replied　Stanton。
  〃Reckon　we　ought　to　ride　over；〃　went　on　Hutter。　〃Say；　Glenn；　do　you　reckon　Miss　Carley　could　stand　a　sheep…dip？〃
  This　was　spoken　in　a　low　tone；　scarcely　intended　for　Carley；　but　she　had　keen　ears　and　heard　distinctly。　Not　improbably　this　sheep…dip　was　what　Flo　meant　as　the　worst　to　come。　Carley　adopted　a　listless　posture　to　hide　her　keen　desire　to　hear　what　Glenn　would　reply　to　Hutter。
  〃I　should　say　not！〃　whispered　Glenn；　fiercely。
  〃Cut　out　that　talk。　She'll　hear　you　and　want　to　go。〃
  Whereupon　Carley　felt　mount　in　her　breast　an　intense　and　rebellious　determination　to　see　a　sheep…dip。　She　would　astonish　Glenn。　What　did　he　want；　anyway？　Had　she　not　withstood　the　torturing　trot　of　the　hardest…gaited　horse　on　the　range？　Carley　realized　she　was　going　to　place　considerable　store　upon　that　feat。　It　grew　on　her。
  When　the　consultation　of　the　men　ended；　Lee　Stanton　turned　to　Flo。　And　Carley　did　not　need　to　see　the　young　man　look　twice　to　divine　what　ailed　him。　He　was　caught　in　the　toils　of　love。　But　seeing　through　Flo　Hutter　was　entirely　another　matter。
  〃Howdy；　Lee！〃　she　said；　coolly；　with　her　clear　eyes　on　him。　A　tiny　frown　knitted　her　brow。　She　did　not；　at　the　moment；　entirely　approve　of　him。
  〃Shore　am　glad　to　see　you；　Flo；〃　he　said；　with　rather　a　heavy　expulsion　of　breath。　He　wore　a　cheerful　grin　that　in　no　wise　deceived　Flo；　or　Carley　either。　The　young　man　had　a　furtive　expression　of　eye。
  〃Ahuh！〃　returned　Flo。
  〃I　was　shore　sorry　aboutabout　that〃　he　floundered；　in　low　voice。
  〃About　what？〃
  〃Aw；　you　know；　Flo。〃
  Carley　strolled　out　of　hearing；　sure　of　two　thingsthat　she　felt　rather　sorry　for　Stanton；　and　that　his　course　of　love　did　not　augur　well　for　smooth　running。　What　queer　creatures　were　women！　Carley　had　seen　several　million　coquettes；　she　believed；　and　assuredly　Flo　Hutter　belonged　to　the　species。
  Upon　Carley's　return　to　the　cabin　she　found　Stanton　and　Flo　waiting　for　her　to　accompany　them　on　a　ride　up　the　foothill。　She　was　so　stiff　and　sore　that　she　could　hardly　mount　into　the　saddle；　and　the　first　mile　of　riding　was　something　like　a　nightmare。　She　lagged　behind　Flo　and　Stanton；　who　apparently　forgot　her　in　their　quarrel。
  The　riders　soon　struck　the　base　of　a　long　incline　of　rocky　ground　that　led　up　to　the　slope　of　the　foothill。　Here　rocks　and　gravel　gave　place　to　black　cinders　out　of　which　grew　a　scant　bleached　grass。　This　desert　verdure　was　what　lent　the　soft　gray　shade　to　the　foothill　when　seen　from　a　distance。　The　slope　was　gentle；　so　that　the　ascent　did　not　entail　any　hardship。　Carley　was　amazed　at　the　length　of　the　slope；　and　also　to　see　how　high　over　the　desert　she　was　getting。　She　felt　lifted　out　of　a　monotonous　level。　A　green…gray　leaguelong　cedar　forest　extended　down　toward　Oak　Creek。　Behind　her　the　magnificent　bulk　of　the　mountains　reached　up　into　the　stormy　clouds；　showing　white　slopes　of　snow　under　the　gray