The Enchanted Canyon

know it! Suppose I cast my responsibility to the winds and . . . and yet that sens

h her. Jonas and Na-che, putting the cave in order, talked quietly to each other. Suddenly from the river, to the right, there rose a man's half

dge, the rope

twirled it round his head and as the boat rushed by him, the noosed end shot across the gunwal

irt. He lay on the sand, too exhausted to move for perhaps five minutes, while Jonas pulled off his sodden

bother about me. I'm drowned every day. Another boat with the rest o

trying to do on the ri

impler ways of co

"Oh, we're some more

ver to N

et?" as

logical Survey! Four o

o-e

tyle, right side up, two men manning the oars and a third with a steering paddle. With an answering sh

t you were finished!" exclai

e folks," replied Harden. "Here,

n graduate and Forrester, a thin, blonde chap had worked in New York City before he joined the Geological Survey. They were astonished by this meeting in th

but a ledge, up there. This morning Harden undertook to patch his boat, with this result." He nodded toward the shivering

ad to have yo

eas. They started out alone, Milton, for a little vacation prospecting trip. I caught them a few days out an

ive through it

any pay gravel, comi

d Agnew, "But a few years ago, I

s a pea. "Where the devil did you f

u on our map,"

h you," proffered Curly.

swear, the only real cash I've ever made on it has been the magnificent wages the Secretary of the Interior allows

t I'm on! Mack, wh

Mack's voice was dry. "In the meantime you fellows make you

onas, "will you let

onas, he

n palm. "You mean to say you pic

t I did," r

ny one

s,

ody ain't down here

said Harden, with a grin, g

er and over, "let's have a try at

ake to the boats,

o over the hills, like

who'd want to

d Na-che will put together a lunch for

your name, sir," s

urly, from over his pa

udge, fo

me on, Harden, you're pretty well steamed out. Let's go back and see what we can

mera tripod, while Enoch insisted on toting the camera and the coil of rope. The sun was hot on the plateau and the way very rough. They climbed constantly over ragged boulders, and chaotic rock heaps, or rounded deep fissures that cut the plateau like spider webs. Muscular and in good form as was the trio, frequent rests were necessary. They had one mishap.

she grumbled as she

y have mine! Better no

of the tripod, honey,

and pulling and Na-che was on the plat

your breath, Na-

d to sit," answered Na

rted on

that are of daily occur

you think you cou

"It wasn't I who slip

ger you've had m

mes in. Why, only yesterday we h

want to hear it!"

risk here, than there is in

ning hot. The world seemed very huge, to Enoch; the three of them, toiling so carefully over the yellow plateau, very small and insignificant. He did not talk much during the rest intervals. He would light his pipe and smoke as if in physical co

nward, the angle of descent so great that frequently they were obliged to sit down and slide, controlling their speed by clinging to the rocks on either side. They could not see the cliff dwelling; only the river winding so remotely below. But at the end of the fifteen minutes the trail stopped ab

hind Enoch and peere

nted rock, I think we can lower

eed Diana. "I

irst and Na-che can brin

he lowered the camera and tripod to them, then examined, with a sudden exclamation, the rock to whi

to the depths below, carrying the rope with it. For a moment no one s

che, no Diana,

n escape!" br

e camp for another rope. You'd better ride back here. I

out another word, disa

ead ahead

The trail again was broken, but they were in full view of the cliff dwelling, which was s

see it!" she said. "But we can't bridge this g

den smile, "as though the Lord intended

turn. "It does, in

here in view of the dwelling. I like to loo

dwelling to Diana, then far out to the glowing peaks across the Canyon to the north. Finally, he turned to silent contemplation of the lovely, slender figure against the wall. Diana's

r you've finished your inspection,

ed his pipe, lighted it and laid it down. "Miss Allen," he

replied

you thin

s think, that Brown i

eenly I feel for you in

anything to have

just enough of a hero worshiper to be proud to have m

etly, yet with a bitterness in hi

a's voice broke a little an

ce of the Canyo

hall not sacrifice one smallest fragment of-of your perfection

asped,

hand quickly and softly with his own, and as quickly drew

e years, the horrors that I've wrestled with, the secret shames that I've hidden, he's exposed them all in the open marketplace. And he dragged y

. "Enoch, are you

ow much a friend I am to you, Diana. But my friendship is a fact

o friend is as dear to me as you are." She rose and c

tuff, it cannot really heed it for, Enoch, America knows you and your service. America loves you. Brown cannot dislodge you by slandering your mother. The real importance and danger of that story lies in its reaction on you. I-I could n

ide gray eyes with a lo

the Canyon to go back to your work and that you leave Brown alone. That is what

h, gravely. "I had no thought of doing oth

t to go back until you

to you many times, Diana! You

money and I must get on, to-morrow, with t

ana! Diana! Let

e for you than I can, Enoch. But we'll meet, say at El To

se. But, Diana, how

s the sweetest and saddest moment of his life; saddest because he felt that in nothing more than friendship must he ever touch her hand with his: sweete

m me, but nevertheless, I shall carry with me the thought

look at him there w

"but now,"-smiling through wet lashes-"you make me prou

be friends and lovers too often meet only to grieve that it is too late for their joy. In such a world, when one beholds a body that nature has chiseled and molded and polished to loveliness like

m with that curious mingling of tenderness and courtesy a

in silence fell between t

down the river with

noch! It's a frightfully dangerous t

dventure. I've got a battle inside of me to fight that will rend

from above. "There's N

this over la

my life of this canyon trip. You mustn't dissuade me. Milton

end of the broken trail. Here they explained to Na-che the conditions of the tr

a, when they had made the difficult ascent to the plateau. "I really

amp, by the river," she said. "But maybe," ea

don't you, Na-c

hed and tossed her he

was going in front of the cave and Jonas was guarding his stew which simmered over a smaller blaze near

ng you, woman?"

as making stew,"

Well, what do

t of the river water. You give me the kettl

sass a Washington man, huh, a government man, huh? How come you suppose I don't know women, huh? Why chil

the cave fire, an amused auditor of Jonas' tirad

we go, too, bo

e if I can go down r

ng up in the cave, ca

one crazy, hav

hat sturdy personage came up from the river and dropped

lows broke an arm a week ago and we had to s

y passage as far as Bri

y. "It's a god-awful job.

o Harden and the other two me

ed," replied Harden, ca

dg

strong

without you?" demanded Mack. "Ain't that just the

l of ours, Smith?" aske

rly," Enoch replied. "I'll talk to you a

hard luck without bell

k of going. It's as risky as the devil and nobody that's got

och quietly. "And I'm st

sent you folks o

necessary for a good many reasons that the government have more

overnment do you wo

ey. It's a bureau in

eri

our Big Boss!" exclaimed

lton. "He doesn't know the

ets the glory while you guys

Enoch Huntingdon's a big man and he's done more real solid work for

Huntingdon. Says he was a good fellow, a brilliant student and even then he c

-legged, red-headed boy of fourteen. My father was his guide down Bright Angel tr

rsonal charm," contri

of his great speeche

ust a little kid and

remember how my kid hea

t up on the stage a

in a musing voice. "Well, if he was once,

that, Mr. Curly?

ted Enoch, gruffly, "how ab

. Barring accidents, we should reach there in a week, cleaning up the survey as we go along. If you live to reach there, you can either go out or come along, as

arden. "Why don't you placer fans start on west and we'll all try to meet th

!" exclai

!" echo

"will you take Jonas

t!" cri

it you, Jonas

a go with you. I ain't never going to

. Nothing, not even mortal horror of the Colorado could break his determination never to be separated f

in Harden's boat and you in mine. You must wear your life preserver all the time that we are on the water. When we are in the boat, do as I tell you, instantly, and you'll so

!" mutte

opi country with us,"

to serve that stew, Na-che. My nerves is just to

spered Na-che, "I'll g

drown if y

grew less tense.

dded emph

d eyes on you, up there at the Grand Canyon. Any woman as handsome as yo

began to dish the stew

After supper, the big f

ced a deck

raw-poker?"

r crowd will sh

who was sitting before the fire

" with a look of repugnance that caused Milton to excl

hen his voice softened. "Miss Allen, the moon is shining, up on t

ry much!" Diana

said Curly. "Cards don't draw me like a good g

then," said Enoch. "C

plateau. The two did not speak until they

I was fighting my despair at the thought that I must never see you again and that you despise

ren't so disturbed at the thought of

cares me to death. I don't doubt for a moment that if he tells me to dash to destruction in a whirlpool, I shall d

identity before you l

t for worlds would I h

Diana, just wha

y are picturesque and ethnologically, very interesting. I shall come home across the Painted

l be quite alone, out i

rry about

g! You'll have no time to give me a thought. For a week you're goi

Diana? I thought you shivered. What a strange, ghostlike co

ze out over the f

ies overthrown by the cataclysm of time. It seemed to Enoch, that nowhere else in the world could one behold such epic loneliness. The exciteme

me this afternoon, you spoke of the Brown matter in

Enoch's. "Let's not spoil this

u, Diana. Just tell me the

talk about it,

I reach, I want to work with my eyes open, so that my decisions shall

you and me in front of a Johnstown lunch place. There was a long caption, which said that you had always been proud that you were slum-reared and a woman hater. That you ha

nced in a crimson mist before him. He stood, clenc

rom me than any one else. And as far as I am concerned, as I told you bef

skily. "But I'd be less than a man, if I didn't

d of has this family motto:

ng time they tramped in silence. Then Diana

men's voices floated up to them. Then taking off his hat, he lifted the slender fingers to his lips. "This is our real good-by, Diana, for w

ou, Enoch, and help you." Then she