ty far way, and
there don't many folks travel on it. It's an old Indian trail; a heap of
our roads here are that; but it'll take you right to the railroad--the
W. and A."

Her companion chuckled, seemingly with some inner satisfaction.

"Yes, that's just what I supposed. I soldiered all over this country,
and I thought it was about as pretty scenery as God ever made. I
promised myself then that if I ever came back into this part of the
world, I'd do some tramping through here. They're going to have a great
big banquet at Atlanta, and they had me caged up taking me down there to
make a speech. I gave them the slip at Watauga. I knew I'd strike the
railroad if I footed it through the mountains here."

Johnnie examined her companion with attention. Would it do to ask him if
he had seen an automobile on the road--a dark green car? Dare she make
inquiry as to whether he had heard of Gray Stoddard's disappearance, or
met any of the searchers? She decided on a conservative course.

"I wish I had time to set you in the right road," she hesitated; "but my
poor old uncle is out here somewhere among these ridges and ravines;
he's not in his right mind, and I've got to find him if I can."

"Crazy, do you mean?" asked her companion, with a quick yet easy,
smiling attention. "I'd like to see him, if he's crazy. I take a great
interest in crazy folks. Some of 'em have a lot of sense left."

Johnnie nodded.

"He doesn't know any of us," she said pitifully. "They've had him in the
hospital three months, trying to do something for him; but the doctors
say he'll never be well."

"That's right hopeful," observed the man, with a plainly intentional,
dry ludicrousness. "I always think there's some chance when the doctors
give 'em up--and begin to let 'em alone. How was he hurt, sis'?"

Johnnie did not pause to reflect that she had not said Uncle Pros was
hurt at all. For some reason which she would herself have been at a loss
to explain, she hastened to detail to this chance-met stranger the exact
appearance and nature of Pros Passmore's injuries, her listener nodding
his head at this or that point; making some comment or inquiry
at another.

"The doctors say that they would suppose it was a fractured skull, or
concussion of the brain, or something like that; but they've examined
him and there is nothing to see on the outside; and they trephined and
it didn't do any good; so they just let him stay about the hospital."

"No," sai