But he was as suddenly filled with a blind, unreasoning sense of repulsion and fury, and lifted his eyes to the man as he approached.
What the stranger saw in Clarence's blazing eyes no one but himself knew, for his own became fixed and staring; his sallow cheeks grew lanker and livid; his careless, jaunty bearing stiffened into rigidity, and swerving his horse to one side he suddenly passed Clarence at a furious gallop.

The young American wheeled quickly, and for an instant his knees convulsively gripped the flanks of his horse to follow.

But the next moment he recalled himself, and with an effort began to collect his thoughts.

What was he intending to do, and for what reason! He had met hundreds of such horsemen before, and caparisoned and accoutred like this, even to the riata.

And he certainly was not dressed like either of the mysterious horsemen whom he had overheard that moonlight evening.