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grandeur； before she looked down on this western slope at
her feet to see bare； gradual descent； leading down to
sparsely wooded bench and on to deep…green canuon。
〃Ride hard now！〃 yelled Dale。 〃I see Bo； an' I'll have to
ride to catch her。〃
Dale spurred down the slope。 Helen rode in his tracks and；
though she plunged so fast that she felt her hair stand up
with fright； she saw him draw away from her。 Sometimes her
horse slid on his haunches for a few yards； and at these
hazardous moments she got her feet out of the stirrups so as
to fall free from him if he went down。 She let him choose
the way； while she gazed ahead at Dale； and then farther on；
in the hope of seeing Bo。 At last she was rewarded。 Far Down
the wooded bench she saw a gray flash of the little mustang
and a bright glint of Bo's hair。 Her heart swelled。 Dale
would soon overhaul Bo and come between her and peril。 And
on the instant； though Helen was unconscious of it then； a
remarkable change came over her spirit。 Fear left her。 And a
hot； exalting； incomprehensible something took possession of
her。
She let the horse run； and when he had plunged to the foot
of that slope of soft ground he broke out across the open
bench at a pace that made the wind bite Helen's cheeks and
roar in her ears。 She lost sight of Dale。 It gave her a
strange； grim exultance。 She bent her eager gaze to find the
tracks of his horse； and she found them。 Also she made out
the tracks of Bo's mustang and the bear and the hound。 Her
horse； scenting game； perhaps； and afraid to be left alone；
settled into a fleet and powerful stride； sailing over logs
and brush。 That open bench had looked short； but it was
long； and Helen rode down the gradual descent at breakneck
speed。 She would not be left behind。 She had awakened to a
heedlessness of risk。 Something burned steadily within her。
A grim； hard anger of joy！ When she saw； far down another
open； gradual descent； that Dale had passed Bo and that Bo
was riding the little mustang as never before； then Helen
flamed with a madness to catch her； to beat her in that
wonderful chase； to show her and Dale what there really was
in the depths of Helen Rayner。
Her ambition was to be short…lived； she divined from the lay
of the land ahead； but the ride she lived then for a flying
mile was something that would always blanch her cheeks and
prick her skin in remembrance。
The open ground was only too short。 That thundering pace
soon brought Helen's horse to the timber。 Here it took all
her strength to check his headlong flight over deadfalls and
between small jack…pines。 Helen lost sight of Bo； and she
realized it would take all her wits to keep from getting
lost。 She had to follow the trail； and in some places it was
hard to see from horseback。
Besides； her horse was mettlesome； thoroughly aroused； and
he wanted a free rein and his own way。 Helen tried that；
only to lose the trail and to get sundry knocks from trees
and branches。 She could not hear the hound； nor Dale。 The
pines were small； close together； and tough。 They were hard
to bend。 Helen hurt her hands； scratched her face； barked
her knees。 The horse formed a habit suddenly of deciding to
go the way he liked instead of the way Helen guided him； and
when he plunged between saplings too close to permit easy
passage it was exceedingly hard on her。 That did not make
any difference to Helen。 Once worked into a frenzy； her
blood stayed at high pressure。 She did not argue with
herself about a need of desperate hurry。 Even a blow on the
head that nearly blinded her did not in the least retard
her。 The horse could hardly be held； and not at all in the
few open places。
At last Helen reached another slope。 Coming out upon canuon
rim； she heard Dale's clear call； far down； and Bo's
answering peal； high and piercing； with its note of exultant
wildness。 Helen also heard the bear and the hound fighting
at the bottom of this canuon。
Here Helen again missed the tracks made by Dale and Bo。 The
descent looked impassable。 She rode back along the rim； then
forward。 Finally she found where the ground had been plowed
deep by hoofs； down over little banks。 Helen's horse balked
at these jumps。 When she goaded him over them she went
forward on his neck。 It seemed like riding straight
downhill。 The mad spirit of that chase grew more stingingly
keen to Helen as the obstacles grew。 Then； once more the bay
of the hound and the bawl of the bear made a demon of her
horse。 He snorted a shrill defiance。 He plunged with fore
hoofs in the air。 He slid and broke a way down the steep；
soft banks； through the thick brush and thick clusters of
saplings； sending loose rocks and earth into avalanches
ahead of him。 He fell over one bank； but a thicket of aspens
upheld him so that he rebounded and gained his feet。 The
sounds of fight ceased； but Dale's thrilling call floated up
on the pine…scented air。
Before Helen realized it she was at the foot of the slope；
in a narrow canuon…bed； full of rocks and trees； with a soft
roar of running water filling her ears。 Tracks were
everywhere； and when she came to the first open place she
saw where the grizzly had plunged off a sandy bar into the
water。 Here he had fought Pedro。 Signs of that battle were
easy to read。 Helen saw where his huge tracks； still wet；
led up the opposite sandy bank。
Then down…stream Helen did some more reckless and splendid
riding。 On level ground the horse was great。 Once he leaped
clear across the brook。 Every plunge； every turn Helen
expected to come upon Dale and Bo facing the bear。 The canuon
narrowed； the stream…bed deepened。 She had to slow down to
get through the trees and rocks。 Quite unexpectedly she rode
pell…mell upon Dale and Bo and the panting Pedro。 Her horse
plunged to a halt； answering the shrill neighs of the other
horses。
Dale gazed in admiring amazement at Helen。
〃Say； did you meet the bear again？〃 he queried； blankly。
〃No。 Didn't you kill him？〃 panted Helen； slowly
sagging in her saddle。
〃He got away in the rocks。 Rough country down here。
Helen slid off her horse and fell with a little panting cry
of relief。 She saw that she was bloody； dirty； disheveled；
and wringing wet with perspiration。 Her riding habit was
torn into tatters。 Every muscle seemed to burn and sting；
and all her bones seemed broken。 But it was worth all this
to meet Dale's penetrating glance； to see Bo's utter；
incredulous astonishment。
〃Nell Rayner！〃 gasped Bo。
〃If my horse 'd been any good in the woods；〃 panted
Helen； 〃I'd not lost so much time riding down this
mountain。 And I'd caught you beat you。〃
〃Girl； did you RIDE down this last slope？〃 queried Dale。
〃I sure did；〃 replied Helen； smiling。
〃We walked every step of the way； and was lucky to get down
at that；〃 responded Dale； gravely。 〃No horse should have
been ridden down there。 Why； he must have slid down。〃
〃We slid yes。 But I stayed on him。〃
Bo's incredulity changed to wondering； speechless
admiration。 And Dale's rare smile changed his gravity。
〃I'm sorry。 It was rash of me。 I thought