His question remained unanswered while she thought of a thousand things.  Could she try to go on?

She shook her head.  “What’s the use of my riding—­perhaps another mile?  You might go on and send a man to guide me in the morning.”

What an effort it cost her to make such a harsh suggestion not even Van could know.  A terrible fear possessed her that he might really act upon her word.  To have him stay was bad enough, but to have him go would be terrible.

“Hell!” he said, keeping up his acting.  “You talk like a woman.  Haven’t I wasted time enough already without sending someone out here to-morrow morning?  What makes you think you’re worth it?” He turned his back upon her, hung the stirrup of the saddle on the horn, and began to loosen the cinch.

Like the woman that she was, she enjoyed his roughness, his impudence, and candor.  It meant so much, in such a time as this.  After a moment she asked him: 

“What do you mean to do?”

He hauled off the saddle and dropped it to the ground.

“Make up the berths,” he answered.  “Here’s your bedding.”  He tossed the blanket down at her feet.  It was warm and moist from Suvy’s body.  He then uncoiled his long lasso, secured an end around the pony’s neck, and bade him walk away and roll.

The broncho obeyed willingly, as if he understood.  Van took up the saddle, carried it off a bit, and dropped it as before.

Beth still remained there, with the blanket at her feet.

Van addressed her.  “Got any matches?”

“No,” she said.  “I’m afraid——­”

“Neither have I,” he interrupted.  “No fire in the dressing-room.  Good-night.  No need to set the alarm clock.  I’ll wake you bright and early.”  Once more he took up his saddle and started off in the ankle-high brush of the plain.

Beth watched him with many misgivings at her heart.

“Where—­where are you going?” she called.

“To bed,” he called in response.  “Want room to kick around, if I get restless.”

She understood—­but it was hard to bear, to be left so alone as this, in such a place.  He went needlessly far, she was sure.

Grateful to him, but alarmed, made weaker again by having thus to make her couch so far from any protection, she continued to stand there, watching him depart.  He stooped at last, and his pony halted near him, like a faithful being who must needs keep him always in sight.  Even the pony would have been some company for Beth, but when Van stretched himself down upon the earth, with the saddle for a pillow, she felt horribly alone.

There was nothing to do but to make the best of what the fates allowed.  She curled herself down on the chilly sand with the blanket tucked fairly well around her.  But she did not sleep.  She was far too tired and alarmed.

Half an hour later three coyotes began a fearsome serenade.  Beth sat up abruptly, as terrified as if she had been but a child.  She endured it for nearly five minutes, hearing it come closer all the while.  Then she could bear it no more.  She rose to her feet, caught up her blanket, and almost ran towards the pony.  More softly then she approached the place where Van lay full length upon the ground.  She beheld him in the moonlight, apparently sound asleep.