ahead. In this way he
could sweep a path about a mile wide on the prairie.

But the hours passed, and the snow deepened, and there was neither sight
nor sound of the boy. Garth was not sparing of his bitter self-reproaches
then, for having abandoned him. It seemed to poor Garth in his
hopelessness, as if his whole course through the country had been
marked by a series of hideous blunders.

Less than three hours of daylight now remained to him, and he was all
of ten miles from his own base. He dared not push farther away, for,
little as he regarded himself, he could take no risks while Natalie's
fate still hung in the balance. But before giving up, he determined
to make one last sortie back and forth across the prairie. Far to the
right, just as hope was expiring, he saw, crossing the white expanse, a
crooked, double row of slight depressions, like little moulds, slowly
filling with powdery snow.

Flinging himself off his horse, with a beating heart, he hastily scooped
out the snow. A man's footprint was clearly revealed. With a shout,
he mounted again and jerked his horse's head around. The weary animal
balked flatly at facing the storm, but Garth, beside himself, lashed him
until he plunged into it. The tracks momentarily grew plainer. While
they had strayed far to the left of his own course, he wondered to see
that they still held the right direction in the main.

He redoubled his shouting. At last a muffled, indistinguishable sound
answered him from ahead; and presently out of the wild whirl of flakes,
a spectral figure was slowly resolved--as poignant a symbol of humanity
as the last man on earth.

"Charley! Charley!" shouted Garth.

The figure turned uncertainly. Under the snow-laden lashes the eyes were
vague.

Garth slipped out of the saddle; and, throwing his arm about the boy's
shoulders, caught him to his breast. "Thank God! I was in time!" he
cried in a great voice.

"It's really you!" the boy murmured. "I thought I was hearing things."

Garth clapped him between the shoulders. "Buck up, my hearty!" he cried.
"It's all right now!"

"Have you got Natalie?" the boy said quickly.

Garth sadly shook his head.

"You shouldn't have come back then," he said dully. "I didn't expect
it!"

Garth hugged him anew. "Dear lad!" he cried with a break in his voice.
"I couldn't let you die in the snow!"

The kindness brought fuller consciousness back to the boy's eyes. He
clung to Garth then; and lowered hi