p.

The grass was white with frost when Miss Foster left the tent in the
morning, but a fire of branches crackled cheerfully near-by and Kermode
was busy with a frying-pan. A light cloud of smoke rose into the still,
cold air, and day was breaking on the eastern horizon.

"This looks pretty good," he said, taking out a greasy cake and several
strips of pork. "If you will make the tea, I'll water the horse."

He was back in a few minutes. His companion enjoyed the simple meal, and
when it was finished they resumed the march. During most of the day their
pathway led over high, treeless ridges which lay in bright sunshine,
though a delicate haze dimmed the encircling hills. Then they dipped to a
valley where they had trouble among the timber and the girl was forced to
dismount. The winter gales had swept the forest and great pines lay piled
in belts of tangled ruin, through which Kermode found it difficult to
lead the horse, while as they floundered over branches and through
crackling brush his companion's limp grew more pronounced. Afterward
there were several rapid creeks to be forded, and Kermode was wet and
Miss Foster very tired when they camped at sunset, in a grove of spruce.
Little was said during the evening meal and soon after it was over the
girl sought her tent, while Kermode found a resting-place among the
withered sprays at the foot of a tree.

They spent the next morning toiling up a long ascent, and from its summit
a prospect of majestic beauty burst upon them. The great peaks had grown
nearer, the air was clear, and the girl sat, rapt, in the saddle, gazing
at the vast snow-fields that glittered with ethereal brilliance, very
high up against a cloudless sky. Then the wonderful blue coloring of the
shadows streaking the white slopes caught her glance, and she found it
unutterably lovely. Kermode, however, had an eye for other things and
carefully searched the wide valley that stretched away beneath them.

"What are you looking for?" the girl asked at length.

"Smoke; I thought I saw a faint streak, but it has gone. I suppose you
didn't notice it?"

"Oh no!" she told him with a smile. "I'm afraid I shouldn't have noticed
such a commonplace thing, even if it had been very plain."

He made a sign of comprehension.

"Then what have you seen?" he asked.

"Unapproachable, stainless whiteness, touched with an unearthly glory
that daunts the mind!" Then her expression changed. "But the sight is too
overp