Bess scanned the sky and saw dark clouds rapidly rising from the south-west. A sharp flash of lightning, unusual for June in the mountains, gave them both warning to hurry. The one turned her horse toward the cliff, while the other reined Mauchacho about to re-enter the Big Draw. The swift beating of a horse’s hoofs behind her made her give a swift glance over her shoulder. She caught a glimpse of some man, probably one of the round-up men, riding hurriedly in the direction of the camp. She felt glad that she would not have to go on alone, for now the warning flashes were growing more frequent, while the wind was gradually increasing. She noticed the horse’s speed slacken, heard a commanding voice speak to the animal, then felt the breath from its nostrils as it reached her side. She waited an instant for the man to speak, then lifted her face abruptly to look at the one so near her, a smile of salutation parting her lips. For the flash of an instant the smile lasted, then a look of incredulity crept into her eyes and stopped her heart beats. Mauchacho had instantly responded to the tight, resisting hand upon the bridle and stood taut as a cow-horse. Deep, glowing eyes held her fascinated so that she could scarcely catch her breath! What phantom was this, so like yet so different from the man who passed out of her life! A face thin and worn, with great, burning, piercing eyes; lips thick and distended above a quivering chin! Could such a transformation be wrought? With a sob she recovered her senses as the man grasped her hand in his own. “Why are you here?” she cried, trying in vain to extricate her hand from his loathsome grasp. “Why? Because—because I had to see you again,” replied the man with a voice still deep and low, yet hard. “Yes—look at me—look well at the result of your faithlessness! Do I seem like the Dave Davis whom you knew a year ago?” and he clutched her hand with a grasp that made her cry out in pain. A strange, loud laugh burst from him as he nearly pulled her out of her saddle toward him. “Release me, you—you—” “Say it! Brute! God, yes—a damned brute, and all because I loved you!” A vivid flash made the already frightened girl tremble still more. She begged the man to allow her to proceed. “You are going over to that cow-camp where that Indian is. I heard you were there and was even willing to risk my precious head for just one glimpse of you. Come! If you must go, I shall go with you.” Bess knew that it was useless to try to escape, so she hurried her horse on as swiftly as she dared. The wind had now risen to its height and was blowing a gale. The lightning brought a single drop of rain from the great, fleeing clouds which hid the sky and filled the land with oppressive, early darkness. Great trees swayed against each other and loud crashes told of a mighty monarch which could not resist the strength of the storm.