"Drink it, Rhoda!" he said quietly. 

 The girl returned his look for a moment then, hating herself for her weakness, she took the cup and drained it. Kut-le tossed the cup to the squaw, pushed Rhoda back to her blankets and covered her very gently. Then he went back to his boulder. The girl lay staring up at the sky. Utterly merciless it gleamed above her. But before she could more than groan she was asleep. 

 She slept as she had not slept for months. The slanting rays of the westering sun wakened her. She sat up stiffly. The squaws were unpacking a burlap bag. They were greasy and dirty but they were women and their nearness gave Rhoda a vague sense of protection. They in turn gazed at the tangled glory of her hair, at the hopeless beauty of her eyes, at the pathos of the drooping mouth, with unfeigned curiosity. 

 Kut-le still was watching the desert. The madness of the night before had lifted a little, leaving Rhoda with some of her old poise. After several attempts she rose and made her staggering way to Kut-le's side. 

 "Kut-le," she said, "perhaps you will tell me what you mean by this outrage?" 

 The young Indian, turned to her. White and exhausted, heavy hair in confusion, Rhoda still was lovely. 

 "You seem to have more interest in life," he said, "than you have had since I have known you. I thought the experiment would have that effect!" 

 "You brute!" cried Rhoda.  "Can't you see how silly you are? You will be caught and lynched before the day is passed." 

 Kut-le smiled. 

 "Pshaw! Three Apaches can outwit a hundred white men on the trail!" 

 Rhoda caught her breath. 

 "Oh, Kut-le, how could you do this thing! How could you! I am disgraced forever! Let me go, Kut-le! Let me go! I'll not even ask you for a horse. Just let me go by myself!" 

 "You are better off with me. You will acknowledge that, yourself, before I am through with you." 

 "Better off!"  Rhoda's appalled eyes cut the Indian deeper than words. "Better off! Why, Kut-le, I am a dying woman! You will just have to leave me dead beside the trail somewhere. Look at me! Look at my hands! See how emaciated I am! See 

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