CHAPTER XXI. BLACK STAR AND NIGHT

The time had come for Venters and Bess to leave their retreat. They were at great pains to choose the few things they would be able to carry with them on the journey out of Utah.

"Bern, whatever kind of a pack's this, anyhow?" questioned Bess, rising from her work with reddened face.

Venters, absorbed in his own task, did not look up at all, and in reply said he had brought so much from Cottonwoods that he did not recollect the half of it.

"A woman packed this!" Bess exclaimed.

He scarcely caught her meaning, but the peculiar tone of her voice caused him instantly to rise, and he saw Bess on her knees before an open pack which he recognized as the one given him by Jane.

"By George!" he ejaculated, guiltily, and then at sight of Bess's face he laughed outright.

"A woman packed this," she repeated, fixing woeful, tragic eyes on him.

"Well, is that a crime?'

"There--there is a woman, after all!"

"Now Bess--"

"You've lied to me!"

Then and there Venters found it imperative to postpone work for the present. All her life Bess had been isolated, but she had inherited certain elements of the eternal feminine.

"But there was a woman and you did lie to me," she kept repeating, after he had explained.

"What of that? Bess, I'll get angry at you in a moment. Remember you've been pent up all your life. I venture to say that if you'd been out in the world you d have had a dozen sweethearts and have told many a lie before this."

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. Where were Venters and Bess going to leave?
2. Where was it?
3. Could they take everything with them?
4. Did Venters pack light?
5. Did a man pack the bag?
6. Is that a problem for Bess?
7. Why?
8. Does Venters defend himself?
9. What does he ask Bess to recall?
10. How does he say things could be different if that wasn't true?
11. Who was the woman who packed Venters' bag?
12. What was her name?
1. their retreat
2. Utah.
3. No
4. Yes
5. No
6. Yes
7. He lied to her
8. Yes
9. She has been pent up her whole life
10. Yes
11. A sweetheart
12. Jane.