He gazed ahead with straining eyes. Presently there was not a break in the walls. A drowsy hum of falling water came to Hare, strange reminder of the oasis, the dull roar of the Colorado, and of Mescal.
His flagging energies leaped into life with the canyon suddenly opening to bright light and blue sky and beautiful valley, white and gold in blossom, green with grass and cottonwood. On a flower-scented wind rushed that muffled roar again, like distant thunder.
Wolf dashed into the cottonwoods. Silvermane whistled with satisfaction and reached for the long grass.
For Hare the light held something more than beauty, the breeze something more than sweet scent of water and blossom. Both were charged with meaning--with suspense.
Wolf appeared in the open leaping upon a slender brown-garbed form.
With a cry she ran to him, her arms outstretched, her hair flying in the wind, her dark eyes wild with joy.
FOR an instant Hare's brain reeled, and Mescal's broken murmurings were meaningless. Then his faculties grew steady and acute; he held the girl as if he intended never to let her go. Mescal clung to him with a wildness that gave him anxiety for her reason; there was something almost fierce in the tension of her arms, in the blind groping for his face.
“Mescal! It's Jack, safe and well,” he said. “Let me look at you.”
At the sound of his voice all her rigid strength changed to a yielding weakness; she leaned back supported by his arms and looked at him. Hare trembled before the dusky level glance he remembered so well, and as tears began to flow he drew her head to his shoulder. He had forgotten to prepare himself for a different Mescal. Despite the quivering smile of happiness, her eyes were strained with pain. The oval contour, the rich bloom of her face had gone; beauty was there still, but it was the ghost of the old beauty.
She slipped out of his arms breathless and scarlet. “Tell me all--”
“There's much to tell, but not before you kiss me. It has been more than a year.”
“Only a year! Have I been gone only a year?”
“Yes, a year. But it's past now. Kiss me, Mescal. One kiss will pay for that long year, though it broke my heart.”
Shyly she raised her hands to his shoulders and put her lips to his. “Yes, you've found me, Jack, thank God! just in time!”