Pagina 230 di 439

Arlie, too, had been looking down the gulch toward the valley.

Now her gaze came slowly round to him and caught the expression

of his face.

"What's the matter?" she cried.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. An old heart pain that caught me

suddenly."

"I'm sorry. We'll soon be home now. We'll travel slowly."

Her voice was tender with sympathy; so, too, were her eyes when

he met them.

He looked away again and groaned in his heart.

CHAPTER IV -- THE WARNING OF MANTRAP GULCH

They followed the trail down into the canon. As the ponies slowly

picked their footing on the steep narrow path, he asked:

"Why do they call it Mantrap Gulch?"