The Gold Trail

already had been working hard, they quickened the pace a little when they saw him. He could tell at a glance whether a man were doing his utmost, and nothing less would

t beckoned Weston aside, and stood a moment or two look

big lump on his forehead. He was glad to stand still a moment, for he had been shoveling gravel for several hours, and that is an occupa

, "I guess you might do if you got a piece of raw

asked West

ss's friends are goin

ssary, as it sometimes is, will cheerfully walk over a mountain range with a big sack of flour or other sundries bound upon their shoulders. Four or five leagues is not considered too great a distance to pack a bushel or two of seed po

of Siwash to pole the canoes. All you have to do is the cooking, make camp, and tend to Miss Stirling's friends when they go fishing." He

consisted of four: a tall, elderly man called Kinnaird, with the stamp of a military training plain upon him; his little, quiet wife; his daughter, who was somewhat elaborately d

o permit him to do so; but the latter was floundering toward the canoes alone, with a heavy load on his shoulders, when he came to a sharply sloped and slippery ledge of rock. It was very hot in the deep valley, and the white stones and flashing river flung up a blaze of light into his eyes; while he limped a little under his burden, for his foot was still painful. He had no idea that anybody was watching him; and, when he slipped and, falling heavily, rol

"It cost eight or nine dollar

d it by the handle. They seemed to consist of voluminous folds of delicate fabric and lace, and he was

dly put that

d cost a good many dollars, displayed a pretty and not over-slender figure, and fitted in with the neutral tinting of the towering fir trunks and the sunlit boulders, while the plain white hat with bent-down brim formed an appropriate setting for the delicately-colored face beneath it. Still, Weston scarcely noticed any particular points in Miss Stirling's appearance just then, for he was subcons

for there was the faintest trace of amusement in her eyes. They met his own steadily, though he was not sure whether they w

ward him and loo

ve it to you," she said,

. I think I remember noticing that you left the key in it;

and, failing to find it

iver," he said. "Still, y

rling, "is unfortunately

truding garments with whi

"I dare say I could squeeze

when Miss Stirling too

ifle quickly, "I do

readily subject to fits of embarrassment when in England, though there he had never served as porter to people of his own walk in life. Turning away, he collected a waterproof carry-all, a big rub

e angry, for I think that easel thing won

e liked his voice, and she rather liked his face, which, since he had not been called the Kid

couldn't help it. That load was too

while ago. If it hadn't been for that I shouldn't h

d m

. Still, if you will let me have the bag afterward I can, perhap

im. He had certainly a pleasant voice, a

sked. "Mending plows and wagons must

s eyes

I mended a clock. That is, I tried-it was

ugh set them on good terms w

ver these boulders with when you have an injur

gravel, as well as pleasanter; and the foot really doesn't trouble me ve

ter of fact, Miss Stirling, who had been rather pleased with the part he had played two days ago, had, when her father insisted on her taking a white man as well as the Ind

e high above them all rose tremendous ramparts of eternal snow. Then, as the sun dipped behind the great mountain wall, the clean, aromatic fragrance of pine and fir and cedar crept into the cooling air, and a stillness so deep that it became almost oppressive descended upon the lonely valley. The splash of pole or paddl

s Kinnaird standing near him and gazing up across the misty pines toward

is really wonderful. One can't get h

windled to insignificance far aloft at the foot of a great scarp of rock that rose beyo

s an artist, dre

r than either," she added. "I suppose it's because there are no hotels,

hink many have,"

ughed softly as she g

out of key," she said. "One ought to wear

p of clean white shingle, and then drawing back a few yards sat down beneath the first of the pines in case they needed anything further. A fire blazed and crackled between two small logs felled for the purpose and rolled close together, and its flickering light fell upon him and tho

r been in Ind

manner, though "sir" is not often u

appeared

have come across you somewhere before. I have a

to-day," said Weston. "I don'

right. What makes me feel more certain is that, though you were younger then, you have grown into the

in to wait until he could take away the plates. It was evident that his presence placed no restraint on the convers

ildness of the hills about one is emphasized by the green fertility of the valleys. There is a typical place where we spent a

ales in which he had been born. He did not know that Ida Stirling, who had watched him closely when K

dows, and the much older square tower and curtain wall that form one wing. There is a terr

n which he had been born. As it happened, the firelight fell upon his intent face as h

owned it were fr

rough shooting and as a change from London. They had to let it and live in a neighb

arently forgotten him. He had made up his mind that he would not trouble them again, at least while he toiled as

stumbled and dropped the pile of them. Though made of indurated fiber, they fell with a startling clatter, and Kinnaird looked at him

especially as there was a suggestion of romance in it, and before she went to s