Lost Pueblo (1992) by Zane Grey

her wits. It was as if she knew she had to keep playing her part. Yet her collapse and the shaking of her relaxed body had nothing to do with reasoning. He had surprised her into the primitiveness of a savage. The change in her reaction struck him, and he released her.
    Janey slipped down, as it chanced, to her knees. The thing could not have happened better.
    "I--I--understand now," gasped Janey. "You mean--to--"
    "My God!" cried Randolph, staggering back, in horror.
    "Phillip," went on Janey, piteously. "I--I'm not the girl I--I've made you believe. This is as much--my fault--as yours. But have mercy. Don't be a brute."
    "Shut up!" shouted Randolph, his face changing to a dusky red.
    He backed against a stone and sat down, to cover his face with his hands, deeply and terribly shaken.
    Janey sank back herself, to rest a moment, and to straighten her disheveled apparel. Her rage had died a sudden death. She was still conscious of disturbing unfamiliar sensations, which, however, were gradually subsiding. Much had happened that had not been down on the program. She realized that Randolph had not intended even the least insult, let alone the assault on her. And certainly in her plan Janey had not dreamed of making him think she believed him capable of more. Even at that troubled moment Janey realized that more could come of this incident than had been expected. Both of them were trifling with deep and unknown instincts. They might pass from jest to earnest. But Randolph had not the slightest inkling of Janey's duplicity.
    "You've blood on your face," said Randolph, suddenly.
    "Yes, it's yours. If I had my way I'd have your blood on my hands," returned Janey, murderously.
    "Wipe it off," he ordered, getting up. Janey produced a wisp of a handkerchief. "Where is it?" she asked.
    "On your cheek--the left one. Here, let me rub it off. That inch-square rag is no good." He had a silk scarf, which he used to remove the blood from her cheek. He applied considerable force, and his action was that of a man trying to remove a stain of guilt.
    "You scratched me like--like a wildcat," he said, harshly.
    "Did you expect me to purr?" she returned, with sarcasm. Then she rose to her feet. "You tore my sleeve half off. I hope you happen to have a needle and thread."
    Ignoring her facetiousness he picked up her coat and sombrero, and handed them to her.
    "Get on that horse," he ordered.

    Chapter 5
    Without comment and as one subdued Janey went up to the horse and mounted. Her skirt slipped halfway above her knees. She stood in the stirrups and pulled it down, but at best it was so short that it exposed several inches of bare skin above her stockings.
    "Is this supposed to be a movie or a leg show?" she asked, bitingly.
    "I can't help it if you've no decent clothes," he replied.
    "Why didn't you suggest I wear my riding clothes?"
    "I didn't think of that. But you'd have suspected something."
    "Me? No. I'm much too stupid. If I had been capable of thinking I'd have known you were a villain... To force a girl to ride a horse with her dress--this way!"
    "I don't care how you look," he flashed, hotly, stung at her retort. "At that you don't look much worse than usual."
    He picked up Janey's coat, which she had dropped, and hung it on the pommel, and draped it over her knees.
    "That'll keep you from sunburn, at least."
    "You're very thoughtful and kind, Mr. Randolph," said Janey, sweetly. "And may I inquire our destination?"
    "Start up the wash," he rejoined, gruffly. "You take the lead."
    "Want to watch me, eh? You think I might run off? I note you've given me a plug of a horse that probably never ran in its life."
    "You might do anything, Miss Endicott," he said.
    "What wonderful trust you have in me!" exclaimed Janey.
    Whereupon she rode on up the deepening gully. Randolph followed her, leading the pack horse.
    So the great adventure was actually on! Janey could not have believed it but for the bruises she had sustained in the fight with Randolph,