The Heart of the Desert

by Honoré Morrow

  CHAPTER XXI

  THE END OF THE TRAIL

  The canon was sandy and rough. Rhoda could see the monastery set amongolive-trees. Beyond this where the canon opened to the desert she knewthat the white men's camp lay, though she could not see it.

  She had no fear of losing her way, with the canon walls hemming her in.She still was sobbing softly to herself as she started along the footof the wall. She tramped steadily for a time, then she stoppedabruptly. She would not go on! The sacrifice was too much! Shelooked back to the canon top. Kut-le had disappeared. Already he mustbe only a memory to her!

  Then of a sudden Rhoda felt a sense of shame that her strength ofpurpose should be so much less than the Indian's. At least, she couldcarry in her heart forever the example of his fortitude. It would belike his warm hand guiding and lifting her through the hard days andyears to come. Strangely comforted and strengthened by this thought,Rhoda started on through the familiar wilderness of the desert.

  This, she thought, was her last moment alone in the desert, for withoutKut-le she would never return to it. She watched the gray-green cactusagainst the painted rock heaps. She watched the brown, tortured crestof the canon against the violet sky. She watched the melting hazeabove the monastery, the buzzards sliding through the motionless air,the far multi-colored ranges, as if she would etch forever on hermemory the world that Kut-le loved. And she knew that, let her bodywander where it must, her spirit would forever belong to the desert.

  Rhoda passed the monastery, where she thought she saw men among theolive-trees. But she did not stop. She gradually worked out into aneasy trail that led toward the open desert.

  The little camp at the canon's mouth was preparing to move when JackNewman jumped excitedly to his feet. Coming toward them through thesand was a boyish figure that moved with a beautiful stride, tirelessand swift. As the newcomer drew nearer they saw that she was erect andlithe, slender but full-chested and that her face--

  "Rhoda!" shouted John DeWitt.

  In a moment, Jack was grasping one of her hands and John DeWitt theother, while Billy Porter and Carlos shook each other's hands excitedly.

  "Gee whiz!" cried Jack. "John said you were in superb condition, but Ididn't realize that it meant this! Why, Rhoda, if it wasn't for yourhair and eyes and the dimple in your chin, I wouldn't know you!"

  "Are you all right?" asked DeWitt anxiously. "Where in the world didyou come from? Where have you been?"

  "Were you hurt much in the fight?" cried Rhoda. "Oh!" looking about atthe eager listeners, "that was the most awful thing I ever saw, thatfight! And Billy Porter, you are all right, I see. How shall I everrepay you all for what you have done for me!"

  "Gosh!" exclaimed Porter. "I'm repaid just by looking at you! If thatpison Piute hasn't made monkeys of us all, I'd like to know who has!How did you get away from him?"

  "He let me go," answered Rhoda simply.

  The men gasped.

  "What was the matter with him!" ejaculated Porter, "Was he sick ordying?"

  "No," said Rhoda mechanically; "I guess he saw that it was useless."

  "And he dropped you in the desert without water or food or horse!"cried DeWitt. "Oh, that Apache cur!"

  "No! No!" exclaimed Rhoda. "He dropped me not far from here. We sawthe camp and he sent me to it."

  The men looked at each other incredulously. Jack Newman's face waspuzzled. He knew Kut-le and it was hard to believe that he would giveup what he already had won. DeWitt spoke excitedly.

  "Then he's still within our reach! Hurry up, friends!"

  Rhoda turned swiftly to the gaunt-faced man. Then she spoke verydistinctly, with that in her deep gray eyes that stirred each listenerwith a vague sense of loss and yearning.

  "I don't want Kut-le harmed! I shan't tell you anything that will helpyou locate him. He did me no harm. On the contrary, he made me a wellwoman, physically and mentally. If I can forgive his effrontery instealing me, surely you all will grant me this favor to top all thatyou have done for me."

  Porter's under lip protruded with the old obstinate look.

  "That fellow's got to be made an example of, Miss Rhoda," he said. "Nowhite that's a man can stand for what he's done. He's bound to behunted down, you know. If we don't, others will!"

  Rhoda turned impatiently to DeWitt.

  "John, after all our talk, you must understand! You know what goodKut-le has done me and how big it was of him to let me go. Make thempromise to let him alone!"

  But there was no answering look of understanding in DeWitt's worn face.

  "Rhoda, you haven't any idea what you're asking! It isn't a questionof forgiveness! You don't get the point of view that you ought! Why,the whole country is worked up over this thing! The newspapers arefull of it. Just as Porter says, the Apache's got to be made anexample of. We will hunt him down, if it takes a year!"

  So far Jack Newman had said nothing. Rhoda looked at him as if he wereher last hope.

  "Oh, Jack!" she cried. "He was your friend, your dearest friend! Andhe sent me back! Why, you never would have got me if he hadn'tvoluntarily let me go! He is wonderful on the trail!"

  "So we found!" said DeWitt grimly.

  But Rhoda was watching Jack.

  "Rhoda," Jack said at last, "I know how you feel. I know what a bullychap Kut-le is. This just about does me up. But what he's done can'tbe let go. We've got to punish him!"

  "'Punish him!'" repeated Rhoda. "Just what do you mean by that?"

  "We mean," answered DeWitt, "that when we find him, I'll shoot him!"

  "No!" cried Rhoda. "No! Why he _sent me back_!"

  The three men looked at Rhoda uncomfortably and at each otherwonderingly. A woman's magnanimity is never to be understood by a man!

  "Are you tired, Rhoda?" asked DeWitt abruptly. "Do you feel able totake to the saddle at once?"

  "I'm all right!" exclaimed Rhoda impatiently. "What are your plans?"

  DeWitt pointed out across the sand to the canon wall. A line ofslender footprints led through the level wastes as plainly as if onnew-fallen snow.

  "We will follow your trail," he said.

  There was silence for an instant in the little camp while the men eyedthe girlish face, flushed and vivid beneath the tan. As it had comewhen DeWitt had rescued her, the old sense of the appalling nature ofher experience was returning to her again. With sickening clarity shewas getting the men's view-point. The old Rhoda would have protested,would have fought desperately and blindly. The new Rhoda had livedthrough hours of hopeless battle with circumstance. She had learnedthe desert's lesson of patience.

  "I have thought," she said slowly, "so much of the joy of my return toyou! God only knows how the picture of it has kept me alive from dayto day. All _your_ joy seems swallowed up in your thirst for revenge.All right, my friends. Only, wherever you go, I go too!"

  Billy Porter shook his head with a muttered "Gosh!" as if the ways ofwomen were quite beyond him.

  "I think you had better ride on to the ranch with Carlos," said DeWitt,"while we take up Kut-le's trail. This will be no trip for a woman."

  "You're foolish!" exclaimed Jack. "We'll not let her out of our sightagain. You can't tell what stunt Kut-le is up to!"

  "That's right!" said Porter. "It'll be hard on her, but she'd bettercome with us."

  "Don't trouble to discuss the matter," said Rhoda coolly. "I am comingwith you. Katherine probably sent some clothing for me, didn't she?"

  "Why, yes!" exclaimed Jack. "That was one of the first things shethought of. She sent her own riding things for you. She spoke of thelittle silk dress you had on and said you hadn't anything appropriatein your trunks for the rough trip you might have to take after we foundyou."

  Jack was talking rapidly, as if to relieve the tension of thesituation. He undid a pack that he had kept tied to his saddle duringall the long weeks of pursuit.

  "We can rig up a dressing-room of blankets in no time,"
he went on,putting a bundle into Rhoda's hands.

  Rhoda stood holding the bundle in silence while all hands set torigging up her dressing-room. She felt suddenly cool-headed andresourceful. Her mind was forced away from her own sorrow to thesolution of another heavy problem. In the little blanket tent sheunrolled the bundle and smiled tenderly at the evidence of Katherine'sthoughtfulness. There were underwear, handkerchiefs, toilet articlesand Katherine's own pretty corduroy divided skirt and Norfolk jacketwith a little blouse and Ascot scarf.

  Rhoda took off her buckskins and tattered blue shirt slowly, with lipsthat would quiver. This was the last, the very last of Kut-le! Shedressed herself in Katherine's clothes, then folded up the buckskinsand shirt. She would keep them, always! When she came out from thetent she stepped awkwardly, for the skirts bothered her, and Jack,waiting nearby, smiled at her. At another time Rhoda would have joinedin his amusement, but now she asked soberly:

  "Which horse is for me?"

  "Rhoda!" cried DeWitt, "I really wouldn't know you! I thought I nevercould want you anything but ethereal, but--Jack! Isn't she wonderful!"

  Jack grinned. Rhoda, tanned and oval-cheeked, and straight of back andshoulder, was not to be compared with the invalid Rhoda.

  "Gee!" he said. "Wait till Katherine sees her!"

  Rhoda shrugged her shoulders.

  "My pleasure in all that is swallowed up by this savage obsession ofyours."

  John DeWitt led out Rhoda's pony.

  "You don't understand, dear," he said. "You can't doubt my heavenlyjoy at having you safe. But the outrage of it all-- That Apachedevil!"

  "I do understand, John," answered Rhoda wearily. "Don't try to explainagain. I know just how you all feel. Only, I will not have Kut-lekilled."

  "Rhoda," said DeWitt hoarsely, "I shall kill him as I would a yellowdog!"

  Rhoda turned away. The line of march was quickly formed. Porter led.Carlos closed the rear. DeWitt and Newman rode on either side ofRhoda. They were not long in reaching the trail down the canon wall.Here they paused, for the rough ascent was impossible for the horses.The men looked questioningly at Rhoda but she volunteered noinformation. She believed that Kut-le had left the camp at the toplong since. If for any reason he had delayed his going, she knew thathe had watched every movement in the white camp and could protecthimself easily.

  "We can leave Carlos with the horses," said Porter, "while we climb upand see where the trail leads."

  Rhoda dismounted, still silent, and followed Porter and DeWitt up thetrail. Jack following her. The trail had been difficult to descendand was very hard to ascend. There was a dumb purposefulness about themen's movements that sickened Rhoda. She had seen too much of men inthis mood of late and she feared them, She knew that all the amenitiesof civilization had been stripped from them and that she was onlypitting her feeble strength against a world-old instinct.

  Her heart was beating heavily as they neared the top, but not from thehard climb. She was inured to difficult trails. There was a sheerpull, shoulder high, at the top. The four accomplished it in onebreathless group, then stood as if paralyzed.

  Sunlight flickered through the pines. Molly and Cesca prepared thetrail packs. And Kut-le sat beside the spring, eying his visitorsgrimly. He looked very cool and well groomed in comparison with histrail-worn adversaries.

  DeWitt pulled out his Colt.

  "I think I have you, this time," he said.

  "Yes?" asked Kut-le, without stirring. "And what are you going to dowith me?"

  "I'm going to take about a minute to tell you what I think of you, andgive you another minute in which to offer up some sort of an Indianprayer. Then I'm going to shoot you!"

  Kut-le glanced from DeWitt to Rhoda, thence to Porter and Newman.Porter's under lip protruded. Jack looked sick. Both the men hadtheir hands on their guns. Rhoda moistened her lips to speak, butKut-le was before her.

  "Are you a good shot, DeWitt?" he asked. "Because I know that Jack andPorter are sure in their aim."

  "You'll never know whether I am or not," replied DeWitt. "You'd betterbe thankful that we are shooting you instead of hanging you, as youdeserve, you cur! You'd better be glad you're dying! You haven't awhite friend left in the country! All your ambition and hard work havecome to this because you couldn't change your Indian hide, after all!Now then, say your prayers! Rhoda, cover up your eyes!"

  Kut-le rose slowly. The whites noticed with a little pang of shamethat he made no attempt to touch his gun which lay on the ground besidehim.

  "You'd better let Jack and Billy shoot with you," he said quietly."You won't like to think about the shot that killed me, afterward. Itisn't nice, I've heard, the memory of killing a man!"

  "I'm shooting an Indian, not a man!" said DeWitt. "Say your prayers!"

  The spell of fear that had paralyzed Rhoda snapped. Before Jack orBilly could detain her she ran to DeWitt's side and grasped his arm.

  "John! John! Listen to me, one moment! Look at me! In spite of all,look, see what he's made of me, for you to reap the harvest! Look atme! I beg of you, do not shoot him! Let him go! Make him promise toleave the country. Make him promise anything! He keeps promisesbecause he is an Indian! But if you have any love for me, if you careanything for my happiness, don't kill Kut-le! I tell you I will nevermarry you with his blood on your hands!"

  A look curiously hard, curiously suspicious, came to DeWitt's eyes.Without lowering his gun or looking at the girl, he answered:

  "You plead too well, Rhoda! I want this Indian to pay for more tortureof mine than you can dream of! Get back out of the way! Are youready, Kut-le?"

  Rhoda's slender body was rigid. She moved away from DeWitt until shecould encompass the four men in her glance. With arms folded acrossher arching chest she spoke with a richness in her voice that none ofher hearers ever could forget.

  "Remember, friends, you have forced me to this! You had me safe, butyou thought more of revenge than you did of my safety! John, if youkill Kut-le you will kill the man that I love with all the passion ofmy soul!"

  DeWitt gasped as if he had been struck. Newman and Porter stareddizzily. Only Kut-le stood composed. His eyes with the old look oftragic tenderness were fastened on the girl.

  "Are you going to shoot him now, John?"

  "Rhoda!" cried DeWitt fiercely. "Rhoda! Do you realize what you aresaying?"

  "Yes," said Rhoda steadily. "I realize that a force greater than racepride, greater than self love, greater than intelligence or fear, isgripping me! John, I love this man! He and I have lived throughexperiences together too great for words. He had me in the hollow ofhis hand but he sent me back to you, his enemy. You say that you loveme. But you would not listen to my pleading, you would not grant methe only favor I ever asked you, the granting of which could not haveharmed you."

  Her listeners did not stir. Rhoda moistened her lips.

  "Kut-le---- Think what he sacrificed for me. He gave up his dearestfriendships. He gave up his honor and his country and risked his life,for me. And then when he thought the sacrifice would prove too greaton my part, he gave me up! I ask you to give him his life, for me.Because, John, and Billy Porter, and Jack, I tell you that I love him!"

  "My God!" panted DeWitt. "Rhoda, don't! You don't know what you'resaying! Rhoda!"

  Rhoda looked off where the afternoon sun lay like the very glory of Godupon the chaos of range and desert. Almost--almost the secret of lifeitself seemed to bare itself to the girl's wide eyes. The white menwatched her aghast. There was a desperate, hunted look in DeWitt'stired face. Rhoda turned back.

  "I know what I'm saying," she replied. "But I tell you that this thingis bigger than I am! I have fought it, defied it, ignored it. It onlygrows the stronger! I know that this comes to humans but rarely. Yetit has come to me! It is the greatest force in the world! It is whatmakes life persist! To most people it comes only in small degree andthey call that love! To me, in this
boundless country, it has comeboundlessly. It is greater than what you know as love. It is greaterthan I am. I don't know what sorrow or what joy my decision may bringme but--John, I want you to let Kut-le live that I may marry him!"

  DeWitt's arm dropped as if dead.

  "Rhoda," he repeated, agonizedly, "you don't know what you are saying!"

  "Don't I?" asked Rhoda steadily. "Have I fought my fight withoutcoming to know the risk? Don't I know what atavism means, and racealienation, and hunger for my own? But this which has come to me isstronger than all these. I love Kut-le, John, and I ask you to givehis life to me!"

  Still Kut-le stood motionless, as did Jack and Porter. DeWitt, withouttaking his eyes from Rhoda's, slowly, very slowly, slipped his Coltback into his belt. For a long moment he gazed at the wonder of thegirl's exalted face. Then he passed his hands across his eyes.

  "I give up!" he said quietly. Then he turned, walked slowly to thecanon edge, and clambered deliberately down the trail.

  Jack and Billy stood dazed for a moment longer, then Porter cleared histhroat.

  "Miss Rhoda, don't do this! Now don't you! Come with us back to theranch. Just for a month till you get away from this Injun's influence!Come back and talk to Mrs. Newman. Come back and get some otherwoman's ideas! For God's sake, Miss Rhoda, don't ruin your life thisway!"

  "When Katherine knows it all, she'll understand and agree with me,"replied Rhoda. "Jack, try to remember everything I said, to tellKatherine."

  "_I_ tell her!" cried Jack. "Why can't you tell her yourself? Whatare you planning to do?"

  "That is for Kut-le to say," answered Rhoda.

  "Rhoda," said Jack, and his voice shook with earnestness, "listen!Listen to me, your old playmate! I know how fascinating Kut-le is.Lord help us, girl, he's been my best friend for years! And in spiteof everything, he's my friend still. But, Rhoda, it won't do! Itwon't work out right. He's a fine man for men. But as a husband to awhite woman, he's still an Indian; and after the first, that mustalways come between you! Think again, Rhoda! I tell you, it won't do!"

  Rhoda's voice still was clear and high, still bore the note ofexaltation.

  "I have thought again and again, Jack. There could be no end to thethinking, so I gave it up!"

  Kut-le's eyes were on the girl, inscrutable and calm as the desertitself, but still he did not speak.

  Billy Porter wiped his forehead again and again on a cloth that bore noresemblance to a handkerchief.

  "I can't put up any kind of an argument. All I can say is I don't seehow any one like you could do it, Miss Rhoda! Just think! His folksis Injuns, dirty, blanket Injuns! They scratch themselves from oneday's end to the other. They will be your relatives, too! They'll behanging round you all the time. I'm not a married man but I've noticedwhen you marry a man you generally marry his whole darn family.I--I--oh, there's no use talking to her! Let's take her away by force,Jack!"

  Rhoda caught her breath and instinctively moved toward Kut-le. ButJack did not stir.

  "No," he answered; "I've done all the chasing and trying to kidnap thatI care about. But, Rhoda, once and for all I tell you that I think youare doing you and yours a deadly wrong!"

  "Perhaps I am," replied Rhoda steadily. "I make no pretense ofknowing. At any rate, I'm going to stay with Kut-le."

  "For heaven's sake, Rhoda," cried Jack, "at least come back to theranch and let Katherine give you a wedding. She'll never forgive mefor leaving you this way!"

  Porter turned on Jack savagely.

  "Look here!" he shouted. "Are you crazy too! You're talking about her_marrying_ this Apache!"

  Jack spoke through his teeth obstinately.

  "I've sweated blood over this thing as long as I propose to. If Rhodawants to marry Kut-le, that's her business. I always did like Kut-leand I always shall. I've done my full duty in trying to get Rhodaback. Now that she says that she cares for him, it's neither your normy business--nor DeWitt's. But I want them to come back to the ranchwith me and let Katherine give them a nice wedding."

  "But--but--" spluttered Porter. Then he stopped as the good sense ofJack's attitude suddenly came home to him. "All right," he saidsullenly. "I'm like DeWitt. I pass. Only--if you try to take thisInjun back to the ranch, he'll never get there alive. He'll be lynchedby the first bunch of cowboys or miners we strike. Miss Rhoda nor youcan't stop 'em. You want to remember how the whole country is workedup over this!"

  Rhoda whitened.

  "Do you think that too, Jack and Kut-le?"

  For the first time, Jack spoke to Kut-le.

  "What do you think, Kut-le?" he said.

  "Porter's right, of course," answered Kut-le. "My plan always has beento slip down into Mexico and then go to Paris for a year or two. I'vegot enough money for that. I've always wanted to do some work in theSorbonne. By the end of two years I think the Southwest will bewilling to welcome us back."

  Nothing could have so simplified the situation as Kut-le's calmreference to his plans for carrying on his profession. He stood in hiswell-cut clothes, not an Indian, but a well-bred, clean-cut man of theworld. Even Porter recognized this, and with a sigh he resignedhimself to the inevitable.

  "You folks better come down to the monastery and be married," he said."There's a padre down there."

  "Gee! What'll I say to Katherine!" groaned Jack.

  "Katherine will understand," said Rhoda. "Katherine always lovedKut-le. Even now I can't believe that she has altogether turnedagainst him."

  Jack Newman heaved a sigh.

  "Well," he said, "Kut-le, will you and Rhoda come down to the monasterywith us and be married?" His young niece was solemn.

  "Yes," answered Kut-le, "if Rhoda is agreed."

  Rhoda's face still wore the look of exaltation.

  "I will come!" she said.

  Kut-le did not let his glance rest on her, but turned to Billy.

  "Mr. Porter," he said courteously, "will you come to my wedding?"

  Billy looked dazed. He stared from Kut-le to Rhoda, and Rhoda smiledat him. His last defense was down.

  "I'll be there, thanks!" he said.

  "There is a side trail that we can take my horses down," said Kut-le.

  They all were silent as Kut-le led the way down the side trail and by acircuitous path to the monastery. He made his way up through a rude,grass-grown path to a cloistered front that was in fairly good repair.Here they dismounted and waited while Kut-le pulled a long bell-ropethat hung beside a battered door. There was not long to wait beforethe door opened and a white-faced old padre stood staring in amazementat the little group.

  Kut-le talked rapidly, now in Spanish and now in English, and at lastthe padre turned to Rhoda with a smile.

  "And you?" he asked. "You are quite willing?"

  "Yes," said Rhoda, though her voice trembled in spite of her.

  "And you?" asked the padre, turning to Jack and Billy.

  The two men nodded.

  "Then enter!" said the padre.

  And with Cesca and Molly bringing up the rear, the wedding partyfollowed the padre down a long adobe hallway across a courtyard wherepalms still shaded a trickling fountain, into a dim chapel, with grimadobe walls and pews hacked and worn by centuries of use.

  The padre was excited and pleased.

  "If," he said, "you all will sit, I will call my two choir-boys who areat work in the olive orchard. They are not far away. We are alwaysready to hold service for such as may wish to attend."

  He disappeared through the door of the choir loft and returned shortly,followed by two tall Mexican half-breeds, clad in priceless surplicesthat had been wrought in Spain two centuries before. They lighted somemeager candles before the altar and began their chant in soft,well-trained voices.

  The padre turned and waited. Kut-le rose and, taking Rhoda's hand, heled her before the aged priest.

  To the two white men the scene was unforgetable. The dim old chapel,scene of who could tell w
hat heart-burnings of desert history; thepriest of the ancient religion; standing before him the two youngpeople, one of a vanishing and one of a conquering race, bothstartlingly vivid in the perfection of their beauty; and, looking on,the two wide-eyed squaws with aboriginal wonder in their eyes.

  It was but a moment before Kut-le had slipped a ring on Rhoda's finger;but a moment before the priest had pronounced them man and wife.

  As the two left the priest, Jack kissed Rhoda solemnly twice.

  "Once for Katherine," he said, "and once for me. I don't understandmuch how it all has come about, but I know Kut-le, and I'm willing totrust you to him."

  Kut-le gave Jack a clear look.

  "Jack, I'll never forget that speech. If I live long enough, I'llrepay you for it."

  "And an Indian keeps his promises," said Rhoda softly.

  Billy Porter was not to be outdone.

  "Now that it's all over with, I'll say that Kut-le is a good fighterand that you are the handsomest couple I ever saw."

  Kut-le chuckled.

  "Cesca, am I such a heap fool?"

  Cesca sniffed.

  "White squaws no good! They--"

  But Molly elbowed Cesca aside.

  "You no listen to her!" she said.

  "O Molly! Molly!" cried Rhoda. "You are a woman! I'm glad you werehere!" And the men's eyes blurred a little as the Indian woman huggedthe white girl to her and crooned over her.

  "You no cry! You no cry! When you come back, Molly come to yourhouse, take care of you!"

  After a moment Rhoda wiped her eyes, and Kut-le, who had been givingthe old padre something that the old fellow eyed with joy, took thegirl's hand gently.

  "Come!" he said.

  At the door the others watched them mount and ride away. The two sattheir horses with the grace that comes of long, hard trails.

  "Maybe I've done wrong," said Jack. "But I don't feel so. I'm awfulsorry for DeWitt."

  "I'm awful sorry for DeWitt," agreed Porter, "but I'm sorrier formyself. I'm older than DeWitt a whole lot. He's young enough to getover anything."

  When they had ridden out of sight of the monastery, Kut-le pulled inhis horse and dismounted. Then he stood looking up into Rhoda's face.In his eyes was the same look of exaltation that made hers wonderful.He put his hand on her knee.

  "We've a long ride ahead of us," he said softly. "I want somethingthat I can't have on horseback."

  Rhoda laid her hand on his.

  "You meant it all, Rhoda? It was not only to save my life?"

  "Do you have to ask that?" said Rhoda.

  "No!" answered Kut-le simply. "You see I waited for you. I knew thatthey would bring you back. And if you had not spoken, I would ratherhave died. I had made up my mind to that. O my love! It has come tous greatly!"

  Then, as if the flood, controlled all these months, had burst itsbonds, Kut-le lifted Rhoda from her saddle to his arms and laid hislips to hers. For a long moment the two clung to each other as if theyknew that life could hold no moment for them so sweet as this. Thenthey mounted and, side by side, they rode off into the desert sunset.