perceived the pedestrian to be not a man but a woman; and when they
met Bryant recognized in her the girl who had sat by Charlie Menocal
in his automobile at the ford. Her gray corded riding habit was
dusty; she appeared both hot and tired; and her countenance showed a
deep dejection. The horse she led was limping.

Bryant raised his hat and addressed her.

"Your horse has gone lame, I see. Can I be of any service to you?"

"I'm afraid not; he acts as if he had strained a tendon," she replied.
"So I'm leading him home. Our ranch is on Diamond Creek."

"But you had a fall! There's blood on your glove."

"No, it's not from that," she said, with a shake of her head.

Bryant again remarked the exquisite molding of her face as he had
noted it at their first meeting, and her wide brow and clear brown
eyes and the fineness of her skin, and her warm, sensitive lips, at
this instant moving in the barest tremble imaginable. She was gazing
at him with a curious, troubled look.

"Bring Dick here," Lee bade Dave.

He swiftly untied the ropes and removed tripod, rod, and saddle. Then
he unfastened the hitch of the saddle of the horse the girl led.

"Why, what are you doing?" she exclaimed.