scribe."

"You don't need to describe it," returned March. "I have it all
described splendidly within me. One don't want words when one's got
feelins. But I've often thought what a pity it is that we can't
describe things or places at all with words. At least, _I_ can't," he
added modestly. "When I try to tell a fellow what I've seen, it ain't
o' no manner of use to try, for I don't get hold of the right words at
the right time, and so don't give out the right meanin', and so the
fellow I'm speakin' to don't take up the right notion, d'ye see? It's a
great pity that words are such useless things."

"Why, that was spoken like Bounce himself," said Bertram, smiling.

"Look out, or you'll go bounce into that hole, if you don't have a
care," cried March, turning aside to avoid the danger referred to. They
proceeded through the remainder of the pass in silence, as the rugged
nature of the ground required their undivided attention.

Had there been a sprite in that place, who could have hopped invisibly
to some elevated pinnacle, or have soared on gossamer wings into the
air, so as to take a bird's-eye view of the whole scene, he would have
noted that while March Marston and the artist were toiling slowly
through the Wild-Cat Pass, the solitary hunter before referred to
regarded their proceedings with some surprise, and that when he saw they
were bent on going quite through the pass, his expression changed to a
look of deep concern.

With slow and gentle hand this man backed his quiet and docile horse
deeper into the bush; and when he had got so deep into the shade of the
forest as to be perfectly safe from observation, he leaped on its back
with a single bound, and galloped swiftly away.

A few minutes after the occurrence of this incident, March and his
friend emerged from the pass and trotted out upon a level plain whence
they obtained a fine view of the magnificent country beyond. The pass
from which they had just issued seemed to be the entrance to the heart
of the Rocky Mountains. The plain, or rather the plateau, on which they
stood was a level spot covered with soft grass, free from bushes, and
not more than a hundred yards in extent. On three sides it was
encompassed by inaccessible precipices and rocky ground, in the midst of
which the opening out of the pass was situated. On the fourth side it
was skirted by a dense thicket of bushes that formed the entrance to a
magnificent forest which extended fo