ce when it vanished altogether into the obscurity. The
sight was more unpleasant because they knew that they had seen only
the commencement of that awful journey. Then Devine, who was white and
gasping, made a deprecatory gesture.

"I don't know whether it was my fault," he said. "The beast stumbled
and almost jerked me over. Then I guess the bridle either broke or
pulled out."

"Two horses and four bags of ore, and we're not through yet,"
commented the freighter. "Guess it's going to cost you something if
you pack much pay-dirt out over Dead Pine trail. Anyway, you'll have
to get that grading done before I come back here again."

"Get on," said Weston, quietly.

They struggled on; and in another half-hour the gully died out and
lost itself in the hillside, after which they made a rather faster
pace over the thinning talus. Still, it was snowing hard, and none of
them was capable of much further exertion when, soaked through and
white all over, they limped into the lee of a ridge of rock on the
crest of the divide. A bitter wind wailed above them, but there was a
little shelter beneath the wall of ragged stone, and, picketing the
jaded horses, they lay down in their wet blankets, packed close
together in a hollow, when their frugal meal was over. There was
nothing they might make a fire with on that empty wind-swept plateau.

Any one unused to the gold trail would have lain awake shivering that
night, and in all probability would have found it very difficult to
set out again the next morning, for a horrible ache in the hip is, as
a rule, not the least unpleasant result of such experiences; but these
men slept, and took up the trail almost fresh with the first of the
daylight. It was by no means the first time they had slept out in the
open in the frost or rain, and fed on wet, unwarmed food.

In due time they reached the settlement on the railroad; and, after
delivering the remaining bags of ore to the station-agent and leaving
the freighter with his horses, Weston went back along the trail with
Devine. Descending the gully in clear daylight, they reached the
Grenfell camp without misadventure.

It was some time later when the freighter, coming up by the other
route, with provisions, brought them a letter. It was from the manager
of the reducing plant, who stated that the yield of the ore sent him
for treatment was eminently satisfactory, and he enclosed a
certificate with particulars, as they had requested. Pro