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of drive in you。 I'd like to have you come at me with foils；
you'd look so fierce；〃 he chuckled。
She turned away from him and stubbornly sent out
another stone； hanging in the air after its flight。 Her fury
amused Fred； who took all games lightly and played them
well。 She was breathing hard； and little beads of moisture
had gathered on her upper lip。 He slipped his arm about
her。 〃If you will look as pretty as that〃 he bent his
head and kissed her。 Thea was startled； gave him an
angry push； drove at him with her free hand in a manner
quite hostile。 Fred was on his mettle in an instant。 He
pinned both her arms down and kissed her resolutely。
When he released her； she turned away and spoke over
her shoulder。 〃That was mean of you； but I suppose I
deserved what I got。〃
〃I should say you did deserve it；〃 Fred panted； 〃turning
savage on me like that！ I should say you did deserve it！〃
He saw her shoulders harden。 〃Well； I just said I de…
served it； didn't I？ What more do you want？〃
〃I want you to tell me why you flew at me like that！
You weren't playing； you looked as if you'd like to murder
me。〃
She brushed back her hair impatiently。 〃I didn't mean
anything； really。 You interrupted me when I was watching
the stone。 I can't jump from one thing to another。 I pushed
you without thinking。〃
Fred thought her back expressed contrition。 He went
up to her； stood behind her with his chin above her shoul…
der； and said something in her ear。 Thea laughed and
turned toward him。 They left the stone…pile carelessly； as
if they had never been interested in it； rounded the yellow
tower； and disappeared into the second turn of the canyon；
where the dead city； interrupted by the jutting promon…
tory； began again。
Old Biltmer had been somewhat embarrassed by the
turn the game had taken。 He had not heard their conver…
sation； but the pantomime against the rocks was clear
enough。 When the two young people disappeared； their
host retreated rapidly toward the head of the canyon。
〃I guess that young lady can take care of herself；〃 he
chuckled。 〃Young Fred； though； he has quite a way with
them。〃
VI
DAY was breaking over Panther Canyon。 The gulf was
cold and full of heavy； purplish twilight。 The wood
smoke which drifted from one of the cliff…houses hung in a
blue scarf across the chasm； until the draft caught it and
whirled it away。 Thea was crouching in the doorway of
her rock house； while Ottenburg looked after the crackling
fire in the next cave。 He was waiting for it to burn down to
coals before he put the coffee on to boil。
They had left the ranch house that morning a little after
three o'clock； having packed their camp equipment the
day before； and had crossed the open pasture land with
their lantern while the stars were still bright。 During the
descent into the canyon by lantern…light； they were chilled
through their coats and sweaters。 The lantern crept slowly
along the rock trail； where the heavy air seemed to offer
resistance。 The voice of the stream at the bottom of the
gorge was hollow and threatening； much louder and deeper
than it ever was by dayanother voice altogether。 The
sullenness of the place seemed to say that the world could
get on very well without people； red or white； that under
the human world there was a geological world； conducting
its silent； immense operations which were indifferent to
man。 Thea had often seen the desert sunrise；a light…
hearted affair； where the sun springs out of bed and the
world is golden in an instant。 But this canyon seemed to
waken like an old man； with rheum and stiffness of the
joints； with heaviness； and a dull； malignant mind。 She
crouched against the wall while the stars faded； and thought
what courage the early races must have had to endure so
much for the little they got out of life。
At last a kind of hopefulness broke in the air。 In a mo…
ment the pine trees up on the edge of the rim were flashing
with coppery fire。 The thin red clouds which hung above
their pointed tops began to boil and move rapidly； weaving
in and out like smoke。 The swallows darted out of their
rock houses as at a signal； and flew upward； toward the
rim。 Little brown birds began to chirp in the bushes along
the watercourse down at the bottom of the ravine； where
everything was still dusky and pale。 At first the golden
light seemed to hang like a wave upon the rim of the can…
yon； the trees and bushes up there； which one scarcely
noticed at noon； stood out magnified by the slanting rays。
Long； thin streaks of light began to reach quiveringly
down into the canyon。 The red sun rose rapidly above the
tops of the blazing pines； and its glow burst into the gulf；
about the very doorstep on which Thea sat。 It bored into
the wet； dark underbrush。 The dripping cherry bushes；
the pale aspens； and the frosty PINONS were glittering and
trembling； swimming in the liquid gold。 All the pale； dusty
little herbs of the bean family； never seen by any one but
a botanist； became for a moment individual and import…
ant； their silky leaves quite beautiful with dew and light。
The arch of sky overhead； heavy as lead a little while be…
fore； lifted； became more and more transparent； and one
could look up into depths of pearly blue。
The savor of coffee and bacon mingled with the smell of
wet cedars drying； and Fred called to Thea that he was
ready for her。 They sat down in the doorway of his
kitchen； with the warmth of the live coals behind them and
the sunlight on their faces； and began their breakfast；
Mrs。 Biltmer's thick coffee cups and the cream bottle
between them； the coffee…pot and frying…pan conveniently
keeping hot among the embers。
〃I thought you were going back on the whole proposi…
tion； Thea； when you were crawling along with that lan…
tern。 I couldn't get a word out of you。〃
〃I know。 I was cold and hungry； and I didn't believe
there was going to be any morning； anyway。 Didn't you
feel queer； at all？〃
Fred squinted above his smoking cup。 〃Well； I am
never strong for getting up before the sun。 The world
looks unfurnished。 When I first lit the fire and had a square
look at you； I thought I'd got the wrong girl。 Pale； grim
you were a sight！〃
Thea leaned back into the shadow of the rock room and
warmed her hands over the coals。 〃It was dismal enough。
How warm these walls are； all the way round； and your
breakfast is so good。 I'm all right now； Fred。〃
〃Yes； you're all right now。〃 Fred lit a cigarette and
looked at her critically as her head emerged into the sun
again。 〃You get up every morning just a little bit hand…
somer than you were the day before。 I'd love you just as
much if you were not turning into one of the loveliest wo…
men I've ever seen； but you are； and that's a fact to be
reckoned with。〃 He watched her across the thin line of
smoke he blew from his lips。 〃What are you going to do
with all that beauty and all that talent； Miss Kronborg？〃
She turned away to t