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SURPRISE VALLEY.
Back in that strange canyon, which Venters had found indeed a valley of surprises, the wounded girl's whispered appeal, almost a prayer, not to take her back to the rustlers crowned the events of the last few days with a confounding climax.

That she should not want to return to them staggered Venters.

Presently, as logical thought returned, her appeal confirmed his first impression--that she was more unfortunate than bad--and he experienced a sensation of gladness.

If he had known before that Oldring's Masked Rider was a woman his opinion would have been formed and he would have considered her abandoned.