ere? Where? He was asking
himself with every jog of his weary horses. Then all of a sudden his
questions ceased, and a decided relief leapt into his eyes as he drew
his horses up to a halt.

He turned to his passenger and pointed with his whip at the hill
abreast of them, his eyes undoubtedly witnessing his relief.

"See that, ma'm?" he cried. And Mercy beheld a narrow, rough flight of
steps cut in the face of the hill. Each step was deliberately
protected with a timber facing securely staked against "washouts," and
though the workmanship was rough it was evidently the handiwork of men
who thought only of endurance. It rose from the trail-side in a
slanting direction, and, adopting the easiest course on the slope,
wound its way to the very crown of the hill, over the top of which it
vanished.

"Well?"

The woman's inquiry was ungracious enough.

"Why, that's the meanin' o' this yer trail." The man pointed above.
"That sure leads somewheres."

"I suppose it does."

Mercy snapped her reply.

"Sure," said the man. "There's shelter up ther', anyways. An' by the
looks o' them steps I'd say folks is livin' ther' right now."

"Then for goodness' sake go up and see, and don't sit there wasting
time. I never had to deal with such a perfect fool in my life. Pass
the reins over to me, and I'll wait here."

The man grinned. But instead of handing her the reins he secured them
to the iron rail of the cart.

"Guess them hosses know best wot to do 'emselves," he observed
quietly, as he scrambled from the cart. "Best let 'em stand
theirselves, ma'm,--you never know wot's along the end of that
trail--muskegs is----" His final jibe was lost in a deep-throated
chuckle as he began the steep ascent before him.

Mercy watched him with angry eyes. The man added impertinence to his
foolishness, and the combination was altogether too much for her
temper. But for the fact that she required his services, she would
well have wished that he might fall and break his neck. But her chief
concern was to reach her destination, so she watched him climb the
long steps in the hope that some comforting result might follow.

As the man rose higher and higher, and his figure grew smaller, his
climb possessed an even greater interest for Mercy Lascelles than she
admitted. She began to appreciate the peril of it, and peril, in
others, always held her fascinated.

He was forced to move slowly, clinging closely with both hands to the
steps abo