use, and with the exception of a few serviceable
pieces, it was left behind. The two parties brought together by the
quick process of accident, at last continued the journey in company, but
for Felix Bauer a cloud had come up over the clear sky of his pleasure.
He had never been able to endure Van Shaw, and it was exasperating to
him and annoying to Walter to be under any obligations to one who, back
in the old school, had moved in another circle and lived according to
other moral codes.

Van Shaw on meeting Walter had simply said, "Hello, Douglas! Great place
this old desert, hey?" He did not wait for Walter to say anything but
rattled on. "This snake dance we're going to is said to be a corker.
It's a beastly old distance to come to see it. I don't mind. But the
camp grub gets the mater pretty bad."

The other members in the Pittsburgh party were Van Shaw's mother, just
referred to as "mater," his aunt, a Mrs. Waldron, two young men, friends
of Van Shaw, Mrs. Waldron's two nieces, and a cook and three drivers.
They had fitted out at Canyon Diablo and crossed the Little Colorado at
the upper ford, several hours after the Tolchaco party had passed, but
owing to better equipment in the matter of horses and wagons they had
overtaken the latter just as Touchiniteel and his two Indians had
entered the gorge.

By noon the wagons were all out of the gorge and in full view of the
Crested Buttes. Helen was resting as well as could be expected but was
evidently in great pain. Masters, who was something of a doctor and
surgeon, did the best he could with the simple remedies he carried, but
declared the sprain to be a very serious one, and at a little
consultation held at lunch time, the feasibility of abandoning the trip
and turning back to Tolchaco on account of Helen's condition was
discussed.

When Helen heard of it she emphatically objected.

"I won't listen to such a thing. I'm very comfortable. I don't want the
rest of you to lose the enjoyment of the trip on my account. The only
thing that worries me is the fear I am causing trouble to these other
people."

The "other people," represented by Van Shaw and the young men friends,
were near the chuck wagon when Helen made this last remark. Van Shaw
hastened to assure her that no one was put out in the least by her
presence there.

"I don't feel sure of that. It seems to me that more than one person
must have been 'put out' of here when I was put in. I take up a great