least strange thing about you is your history.
Sometimes I wonder whether you are actually
blooded. Certainly you look it, and at times assuredly
you act it; yet if you are so valuable,
why didn't somebody claim you that time? It
is all very mysterious." And she relapsed into
silence, gazing at him thoughtfully.

Aroused by sudden faint gusts of wind, she
glanced around and overhead. She saw unmistakable
signs of an approaching storm, and swung
Pat about toward home. As the horse broke
into a canter the gusts became more fitful and
sharper, while the sun, growing dim and hazy,
cast ever-increasing shadow before her. Presently,
as far as the eye could reach, she saw the
landscape spring into active life. Dust-devils
whirled about in quick eddies, stray sheets of
paper leaped up, tumbleweed began steady forward
movement, rabbit-like, scurrying before the
winds, the advance occupied by largest growths, the
rear brought up with smallest clumps, the order
determined by the area each presented to the
winds. It was all very impressive, but, knowing
the uncertain character of the elements, and uncertain
whether this foretold violent sand-storm
or milder wind-storm, she was gripped with apprehension.
She urged Pat to his utmost.

And Pat responded, though he really needed but
little urging. With each sudden gust he became
increasingly afraid. Holding himself more and
more alert to every least movement about him, he
was steadily becoming keyed up to a dangerous

[[76]]

p075 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p076w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p077

v?