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his saddle； and remounted。 He returned to the arroyo。 Estrella still
lay with her eyes closed。 Brent Palmer looked up keenly。 The bronco…
buster saw the green hide。 A puzzled expression crept across his face。
Roughly Johnson loosed his enemy from the wheel and dragged him to the
woman。 He passed the free end of the riata about them both； tying them
close together。 The girl continued to moan； out of her wits with terror。
〃What are you going to do now； you devil？〃 demanded Palmer； but
received no reply。 Buck Johnson spread out the rawhide。 Putting
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forth his huge strength； he carried to it the pair； bound together like a bale
of goods； and laid them on its cool surface。 He threw across them the
edges； and then deliberately began to wind around and around the huge
and unwieldy rawhide package the strip he had cut from the edge of the
pelt。 Nor was this altogether easy。 At last Brent Palmer
understood。 He writhed in the struggle of desperation； foaming
blasphemies。 The uncouth bundle rolled here and there。 But inexorably
the other； from the advantage of his position； drew the thongs tighter。
And then； all at once； from vituperation the bronco…buster fell to pleading；
not for life； but for death。 〃For God's sake； shoot me！〃 he cried from
within the smothering folds of the rawhide。 〃If you ever had a heart in
you； shoot me！ Don't leave me here to be crushed in this vise。 You
wouldn't do that to a yellow dog。 An Injin wouldn't do that； Buck。 It's a
joke； isn't it？ Don't go away and leave me； Buck。 I've done you dirt。
Cut my heart out； if you want to； I won't say a word； but don't leave me
here for the sun〃
His voice was drowned in a piercing scream； as Estrella came to
herself and understood。 Always the rawhide had possessed for her an
occult fascination and repulsion。 She had never been able to touch it
without a shudder； and yet she had always been drawn to experiment with
it。 The terror of her doom had now added to it for her all the vague and
premonitory terrors which heretofore she had not understood。 The
richness of the dawn had flowed to the west。 Day was at hand。 Breezes
had begun to play across the desert； the wind devils to raise their straight
columns。 A first long shaft of sunlight shot through a pass in the
Chiricahuas； trembled in the dust…moted air； and laid its warmth on the
rawhide。 Senor Johnson roused himself from his gloom to speak his first
words of the episode。 〃There； damn you！〃 said he。 〃I guess you'll be
close enough together now！〃 He turned away to look for his horse。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE DESERT
Button was a trusty of Senor Johnson's private animals。 He was
never known to leave his master in the lurch； and so was habitually
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allowed certain privileges。 Now； instead of remaining exactly on the spot
where he was 〃tied to the ground；〃 he had wandered out of the dry arroyo
bed to the upper level of the plains； where he knew certain bunch grasses
might be found。 Buck Johnson climbed the steep wooded bank in search
of him。 The pony stood not ten feet distant。 At his master's abrupt
appearance he merely raised his head； a wisp of grass in the corner of his
mouth； without attempting to move away。 Buck Johnson walked
confidently to him； fumbling in his side pocket for the piece of sugar with
which he habitually soothed Button's sophisticated palate。 His hand
encountered Estrella's letter。 He drew it out and opened it。
〃Dear Buck；〃 it read； 〃I am going away。 I tried to be good； but I can't。
It's too lonesome for me。 I'm afraid of the horses and the cattle and the
men and the desert。 I hate it all。 I tried to make you see how I felt
about it； but you couldn't seem to see。 I know you'll never forgive me；
but I'd go crazy here。 I'm almost crazy now。 I suppose you think I'm a
bad woman； but I am not。 You won't believe that。 Its' true though。
The desert would make anyone bad。 I don't see how you stand it。
You've been good to me； and I've really tried； but it's no use。 The country
is awful。 I never ought to have come。 I'm sorry you are going to think
me a bad woman； for I like you and admire you； but nothing； NOTHING
could make me stay here any longer。〃 She signed herself simply
Estrella Sands； her maiden name。 Buck Johnson stood staring at the
paper for a much longer time than was necessary merely to absorb the
meaning of the words。 His senses； sharpened by the stress of the last
sixteen hours； were trying mightily to cut to the mystery of a change going
on within himself。 The phrases of the letter were bald enough； yet they
conveyed something vital to his inner being。 He could not understand
what it was。
Then abruptly he raised his eyes。 Before him lay the desert； but a
desert suddenly and miraculously changed； a desert he had never seen
before。 Mile after mile it swept away before him； hot； dry； suffocating；
lifeless。 The sparse vegetation was grey with the alkali dust。 The heat
hung choking in the air like a curtain。 Lizards sprawled in the sun；
repulsive。 A rattlesnake dragged its loathsome length from under a
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mesquite。 The dried carcass of a steer； whose parchment skin drew tight
across its bones； rattled in the breeze。 Here and there rock ridges showed
with the obscenity of so many skeletons； exposing to the hard； cruel sky
the earth's nakedness。 Thirst； delirium； death； hovered palpable in the
win