e morning on their return journey with the other wagon, rode
back into camp on their horses. They reported the water as rising
everywhere. In addition to the incoming flood from the swollen rivers,
the nearly ceaseless rain had made raging torrents of all the creeks,
and lakes of all the valleys. The teamsters had been obliged to abandon
their wagon, wholly unable to make their way further.

"Then we shall get no more provisions," said Barbara, in a sadly
troubled voice.

"And that's a pity," answered Temple. "For the men's spirits have
greatly revived under the stimulus of your improved commissariat, Miss
Barbara. How long will your supplies last?"

"I've enough coffee, flour, and molasses," she answered, "to last
through. But the fresh meat will be exhausted by to-morrow night. The
hams will help out, for breakfasts, but they won't go far among two
hundred men. I'm sorry I couldn't have brought more."

"You could not have got through at all if your loads had been heavier,"
said Duncan. "We must simply do the best we can with what we've got. The
coffee alone will go far to sustain the men, and the molasses will be a
valuable substitute for meat. I still have hopes that we shall win."

"Oh, we _must_ win, you know. You mustn't allow yourself to think of
anything else."

"We'll try, at any rate, and with your superb courage to help us, I
think we shall win."

* * * * *

It was six o'clock on the morning of the last day, when the night gave
its first intimation of a purpose to come to an end. In the slow-coming
gray of the dawn, the torches still flared, casting long and distorted
shadows of the work-weary men, as they continued their toil. During that
last night the entire company had been kept at work in a last desperate
effort to accomplish the end so vitally necessary. All night long Duncan
had done what he could to encourage the toilers, while Temple had given
his attention to such devices as might shorten the task, or otherwise
facilitate its doing. All night long Barbara had busied herself
furnishing limitless coffee as an atonement for the insufficient food
the men had had since her supplies of meat ran out, two days before.

During the last half hour the rain had almost ceased, and Guilford
Duncan had indulged an anxious hope that the skies might clear away with
the sunrise, but just as the gray of morning began to give light enough
for the workmen to see without the aid o