and though there was nobody to see it the
girl's face was flushed as she glanced down at the last one. The
message it bore was somewhat laconic and ran, "We are going to the
opera-house on Thursday, and as there is a place not filled I would
like to see you there before you start for the ranges, if you know of
no reason why you should not come."

She gave it to a maid, and sat still until she heard a door swing to,
then rose swiftly and ran down the stairway. She met the maid at the
foot of it, and said breathlessly, "I want to add something to the
letter."

"It's too late, miss," said the maid, who was a recent importation from
Britain. "I gave it John the Chinaman, and he went off trotting as
usual. I couldn't overtake him."

Alice Deringham smiled a little, though her voice belied her as she
said, "It is of no importance. I can write another."

She knew, however, that no second message she could send would repair
what she had done, for Alton had timed his departure for the ranges
next day, and several must elapse before Thursday came. He would, she
also felt assured, not fail to come.

Miss Deringham was justified, for a few days later Seaforth stood
waiting in the snow with a pack-horse's bridle in his hand, and several
brawny men with heavy packs slung about them close by, when Tom of
Okanagan drove into the clearing as fast as his smoking team could haul
the jolting wagon.

"You can sling all those things down again," he said. "Thomson rode in
with a wire from the railroad, and Harry's not coming."

"Not coming?" said Seaforth bewilderedly as he opened the message.
"We've no time to lose--now."

Then he crumpled the strip of paper angrily. "We'll push on slowly,
boys, until he comes up with us, but you had better wait for him, Tom,"
he said, and added half aloud, "The devil take all women!"

Miss Deringham went to the opera-house on Thursday with a somewhat
distinguished party, and though a storm of applause greeted the eminent
English dramatist, and the play was a popular one, saw very little of
him or the first act of it. Then when the glitter of lights filled the
building as the curtain went down she looked about her with veiled
expectancy. She knew Alton of Somasco, and that if he intended to keep
the assignation he would then come when everybody could see him.

She had also surmised correctly, for just then Alton, who had
shouldered his way through a group in the corridor, moved down it