gloom darkening rapidly now in the valleys, and
the peaks in the distance standing up of a ghastly grey; while Gedge
shook his head and said to himself:

"Gov'nor ought to know; but it 'll be dark 'fore we get there."

The next minute Gedge was looking in wonder at the peculiar rosy glow
which suddenly began to suffuse the great mountain. The chilly grey
died out and the ruddy glow grew richer and brighter for a time, while
the sky in the west seemed to be blazing and as if the glow were being
dragged backward, to aid the weary messengers till they could reach the
fir-tree forest that was to form their camp.

"Think there's a tremenjus fire somewhere, sir?" said Gedge at last.

"No; it is only what people call the Alpenglow," said Bracy softly, for
the wondrous beauty of the scene impressed him. "It will soon die out
again, but it will help us on our way: for you were right, Gedge; that
patch of trees was fully two miles from where we stood, and we have all
our work cut out to reach it before dark. If we cannot we must shelter
beneath the first wind-screen of rock we can find. What about your
sheepskin coat? Is it too hot?"

"Not a bit, sir; I'm cooling down fast; and, I say, there goes the last
of the light. Shall we get to the wood?"

"I'm afraid not," said Bracy. "Look to the left, and I'll look to the
right. We'll stop at the most likely spot we see."

"Don't, sir. I can keep my eye on that tall tree that goes up like a
spike, and hit it if it gets twice as dark. Wind feels cool now;
by-and-by it'll be like ice up here. Hadn't we better get right, into
shelter?"

"Go on, then, my lad. I was thinking of you."

"Then don't, please, sir; I can keep on as long as you."

The next minute--it seemed so close--the stars were shining brightly out
of the deep purple sky, and it was as if their coming brought on a
cooler breath of wind, which Gedge suggested had a sniff of frost in it.
But they had no time for conversation; and, making a final effort to
overcome their weariness, they pressed on till it had grown so dark that
they felt that it would be hopeless to persevere, for the forest could
not be readied. The next minute the darkness was profound; they were no
longer stumbling along a stony way, but passing silently over a thick
carpet of fir-needles; the sky was blotted out as if by a dense black
cloud; and there was a strange humming overhead as of the sea upon the
shore. For they had unwitting