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ack Star！。。。Wrangle never beat him！〃
〃I'm wondering if I didn't dream that。 Bess； the blacks are grand。 What it must have cost Janeah！well； when we get out of this wild country with Star and Night； back to my old home in Illinois； we'll buy a beautiful farm with meadows and springs and cool shade。 There we'll turn the horses freefree to roam and browse and drinknever to feel a spur againnever to be ridden！〃
〃I would like that；〃 said Bess。
They rested。 Then； mounting； they rode side by side up the white trail。 The sun rose higher behind them。 Far to the left a low fine of green marked the site of Cottonwoods。 Venters looked once and looked no more。 Bess gazed only straight ahead。 They put the blacks to the long； swinging rider's canter； and at times pulled them to a trot； and occasionally to a walk。 The hours passed； the miles slipped behind； and the wall of rock loomed in the fore。 The Notch opened wide。 It was a rugged； stony pass； but with level and open trail； and Venters and Bess ran the blacks through it。 An old trail led off to the right； taking the line of the wall； and his Venters knew to be the trail mentioned by Lassiter。
The little hamlet； Glaze； a white and green patch in the vast waste of purple； lay miles down a slope much like the Cottonwoods slope； only this descended to the west。 And miles farther west a faint green spot marked the location of Stone Bridge。 All the rest of that world was seemingly smooth； undulating sage； with no ragged lines of canyons to accentuate its wildness。
〃Bess； we're safewe're free！〃 said Venters。 〃We're alone on the sage。 We're half way to Sterling。〃
〃Ah！ I wonder how it is with Lassiter and Miss Withersteen。〃
〃Never fear； Bess。 He'll outwit Tull。 He'll get away and hide her safely。 He might climb into Surprise Valley； but I don't think he'll go so far。〃
〃Bern； will we ever find any place like our beautiful valley？〃
〃No。 But； dear； listen。 Well go back some day； after yearsten years。 Then we'll be forgotten。 And our valley will be just as we left it。〃
〃What if Balancing Rock falls and closes the outlet to the Pass？〃
〃I've thought of that。 I'll pack in ropes and ropes。 And if the outlet's closed we'll climb up the cliffs and over them to the valley and go down on rope ladders。 It could be done。 I know just where to make the climb； and I'll never forget。〃
〃Oh yes； let us go back！〃
〃It's something sweet to look forward to。 Bess； it's like all the future looks to me。〃
〃Call meElizabeth；〃 she said； shyly。
〃Elizabeth Erne！ It's a beautiful name。 But I'll never forget Bess。 Do you knowhave you thought that very soonby this time to…morrowyou will be Elizabeth Venters？〃
So they rode on down the old trail。 And the sun sloped to the west； and a golden sheen lay on the sage。 The hours sped now； the afternoon waned。 Often they rested the horses。 The glisten of a pool of water in a hollow caught Venters's eye； and here he unsaddled the blacks and let them roll and drink and browse。 When he and Bess rode up out of the hollow the sun was low； a crimson ball； and the valley seemed veiled in purple fire and smoke。 It was that short time when the sun appeared to rest before setting； and silence； like a cloak of invisible life； lay heavy on all that shimmering world of sage。
They watched the sun begin to bury its red curve under the dark horizon。
〃We'll ride on till late；〃 he said。 〃Then you can sleep a little； while I watch and graze the horses。 And we'll ride into Sterling early to…morrow。 We'll be married！。。。We'll be in time to catch the stage。 We'll tie Black Star and Night behindand thenfor a country not wild and terrible like this！〃
〃Oh； Bern！。。。But look！ The sun is setting on the sagethe last time for us till we dare come again to the Utah border。 Ten years！ Oh； Bern； look； so you will never forget！〃
Slumbering； fading purple fire burned over the undulating sage ridges。 Long streaks and bars and shafts and spears fringed the far western slope。 Drifting； golden veils mingled with low； purple shadows。 Colors and shades changed in slow； wondrous transformation。
Suddenly Venters was startled by a low； rumbling roarso low that it was like the roar in a sea…shell。
〃Bess； did you hear anything？〃 he whispered。
〃No。〃
〃Listen！。。。Maybe I only imaginedAh！〃
Out of the east or north from remote distance； breathed an infinitely low； continuously long sounddeep； weird； detonating； thundering； deadeningdying。
CHAPTER XXIII。 THE FALL OF BALANCING ROCK
Through tear…blurred sight Jane Withersteen watched Venters and Elizabeth Erne and the black racers disappear over the ridge of sage。
〃They're gone！〃 said Lassiter。 〃An' they're safe now。 An' there'll never be a day of their comin' happy lives but what they'll remember Jane Withersteen an'an' Uncle Jim！。。。I reckon； Jane； we'd better be on our way。〃
The burros obediently wheeled and started down the break with little cautious steps； but Lassiter had to leash the whining dogs and lead them。 Jane felt herself bound in a feeling that was neither listlessness nor indifference； yet which rendered her incapable of interest。 She was still strong in body； but emotionally tired。 That hour at the entrance to Deception Pass had been the climax of her sufferingthe flood of her wraththe last of her sacrificethe supremity of her loveand the attainment of peace。 She thought that if she had little Fay she would not ask any more of life。
Like an automaton she followed Lassiter down the steep trail of dust and bits of weathered stone； and when the little slides moved with her or piled around her knees she experienced no alarm。 Vague relief came to her in the sense of being enclosed between dark stone walls； deep hidden from the glare of sun； from the glistening sage。 Lassiter lengthened the stirrup straps on one of the burros and bade her mount and ride close to him。 She was to keep the burro from cracking his little hard hoofs on stones。 Then she was riding on between dark； gleaming walls。 There were quiet and rest and coolness in this canyon。 She noted indifferently that they passed close under shady； bulging shelves of cliff； through patches of grass and sage and thicket and groves of slender trees； and over white； pebbly washes； and around masses of broken rock。 The burros trotted tirelessly； the dogs； once more free； pattered tirelessly； and Lassiter led on with never a stop； and at every open place he looked back。 The shade under the walls gave place to sunlight。 And presently they came to a dense thicket of slender trees； through which they passed to rich； green grass and water。 Here Lassiter rested the burros for a little while； but he was restless； uneasy； silent； always listening； peering under the trees。 She dully reflected that enemies were behind thembefore them； still the thought awakened no dread or concern or interest。
At his bidding she mounted and rode on close to the heels of his burro。 The canyon narrowed； the walls lifted their rugged rims higher； and the sun shone down hot from the center of the blue stream of sky above。 Lassiter traveled slower； with more exceeding care as to the ground he chose； and he kept speaking low to the dogs。 They were now hunting…dogskeen； alert； suspicious； sniffing the warm breeze。 The monotony of the yellow walls broke in change of color and smooth surface； and the rugged outline of rims grew craggy。 Splits appeared in deep breaks； and gorges running at right angles； and then the Pass opened wide at a junction of intersecting canyons。
Lassiter dismounted； led his burro； called the dogs close； and proceeded at snail pace through dark masses of rock and dense thickets under the left wall。 Long he watched and listened before venturing to cross the mouths of side canyons。 At length he halted； fled his burro； lifted a warning hand to Jane； and then slipped away among the boulders； and； followed by the stealthy dogs； disappeared from sight。 The time he remained absent was neither short nor long to Jane Withersteen。
When he reached her side again he was pale； and his lips were set in a hard line； and his gray eyes glittered coldly。 Bidding her dismount； he led the burros into a covert of stones and cedars； and tied them。
〃Jane； I've run into the fellers I've been lookin' for； an' I'm goin' after them；〃 he said。
〃Why？〃 she asked。
〃I reckon I won't take time to tell you。〃
〃Couldn't we slip by without being seen？〃
〃Likely enough。 But that ain't my game。 An' I'd like to know； in case I don't come back； what you'll do。〃
〃What can I do？〃
〃I reckon you can go back to Tull。 Or stay in the Pass an' be taken off by rustlers。 Which'll you do？〃
〃I don't know。 I can't think very well。 But I believe I'd rather be taken off by rustlers。〃
Lassiter sat down； put his head in his hands； and remained for a few moments in what appeared to be deep and painful thought。 When he lifted his face it was haggard； lined； cold as sculptured marble。
〃I'll go。 I only mentioned that chance of my not comin' back。 I'm pretty sure to come。〃
〃Need you risk so much？ Must you fight more？ Haven't you shed enough blood？〃
〃I'd like to tell you why I'm goin'；〃 he continued； in coldness he had seldom used to her。 She remarked it； but it was the same to her as