rmillion, she remained at home.

The professor carried forward his work along the river enthusiastically,
planning to finish by the eve of the celebration, so that he could
accompany the family to the station on the morning of the Fourth, and
there take the afternoon local going east. He tramped up and down the
bluffs, finding many a rare shrub in high, sunny spots or low,
sheltered nooks, and returning to the farm-house only when he was laden
with spoil. But it was on his very last excursion that he discovered
something really remarkable.

He visited a point far up the valley, where the banks were precipitous
and came close together. At their base lay narrow reaches of sand
between which, even at its lowest, the river hurried; and when it was
swelled by heavy rains or melting snow, it rushed through boisterously
and spat high to right and left against the walls.

The western side, with its southern exposure, was the greener.
Box-elders belted its foot, growing at a sharp angle to the side. Above
the elders an aspen thrust out its slender trunk, and, still higher,
grass and weeds protruded. Where the cliff was of solid rock, trailing
wild-bean drooped across and softened it. But the professor, after
sweeping it carefully with his glass and finding no new specimens upon
it, resolved not to waste his time and labor, and turned his attention
opposite.

Though almost bare, for it faced the north, the eastern precipice still
was promising. No trees interrupted its rise, and the stones that,
midway, coincided with it were uncovered. Low down were scattered clumps
of wild black currant and clusters of coral-berry. But above the
stones, bending temptingly forward into plain view, was a cactus which
the professor had long sought.

He determined to scale the wall and secure the plant. Dropping the paper
box and the hand-bag, he toiled from the sand to a first narrow ledge,
from there to the currant bushes, and thence higher, by relying for a
foothold upon snake holes and crevices. Once having gained the flat
stones, the climb was over. He had only to put out his hand and gather
the cactus.

But its stalk remained unbroken. For his eye, traveling over the rock to
which he was clinging, made out a figure and some letters cut deep into
its red-gray surface. He looked at them with interest, then with mingled
pleasure and doubt, and lastly with wonder. And he trembled as, with one
hand, he finally drew a small blank-book from a