ther habit of missin'."

"That makes no difference. A man who seeks death cannot die. Fate would
turn your bullet aside."

"Wa-al, I don't allow thet I wants ter try it, fer Fate might not be
quick enough. Jest you keep away, 'less you hollers out ter let us know
when ye're comin'."

As the hermit turned away he happened to glance into the tent, the front
of which was still open. The firelight shone in and fell on the face of
the tired child, who was sleeping sweetly.

The man paused, staring at the face revealed by the flickering light.
His hand was lifted to his head, and he swayed unsteadily on his feet,
his face marked by a look of astonishment and pain.

Old Rocks, Professor Scotch, and the boys watched the hermit's every
movement with breathless wonderment. They were impressed, they were held
spellbound, they scarcely breathed.

For some moments the strange man stood there, and then, inch by inch,
step by step, he advanced toward the tent. He seemed trying to hold
back, yet there appeared to be some power dragging him toward the
sleeping child.

Frank's first thought was that the man might harm Fay, but the look on
the face of the hermit told that he had no such intention. Into the tent
he crept, and he knelt beside the bed on which little Fay was sleeping,
gazing longingly into her pretty face. A sob came from the depths of his
broad breast, and, finally, he stooped and lightly kissed the child's
cheek. As he did so, the little girl murmured in her dreams:

"Papa!"

The hermit sprang up, leaped away, and, with a low cry of intense pain,
fled into the darkness.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

VANISHING OF LITTLE FAY.

For some moments after the strange man had disappeared the guide, the
professor, and the boys sat staring into the darkness in the direction
he had taken.

"Wa-al, dog my cats!"

The exclamation came from Old Rocks, who had ceased to pull at the black
pipe for the time being.

"Thot bates th' band!"

Barney Mulloy could not express the astonishment he felt.

"What can that mean?"

Professor Scotch rose from the hammock, asking the question in a
bewildered manner.

"I can tell you what it means," said Frank, also rising to his feet. "It
seems to me there is but one explanation. Fay told me her father was not
with her mother, that she had not seen him for a long time, and that her
mamma cried when he went away. I believe there was some kind of trouble
between the child's parents, a