carry her
to the length of stopping to see what had befallen him.

A little way farther on, the bank flattened down into a little valley,
which conveyed a brook to the river. A path struck inland here. Natalie,
leaping from stone to stone across the stream, suddenly saw Garth's
figure heave into sight around a bend in the path. Instantly she
slackened her pace; and her hands went to her breast to control the
agitation of the tenant there. She did not intend he should learn what
had happened.

So when they met she was perfectly quiet; but her eyes were luminous,
and her voice had a new dove-like note. To tell the truth, at the sight
of him striding along, pipe in mouth, with an interested eye for all
that showed; so cool and strong; so honest and clean and young; after
what she had just been through, Natalie was hard put to it to forbear
casting herself on his breast forthwith, and letting her heart still
itself there.

He instantly started to scold her for venturing so far alone. She was
glad to be scolded. She could not help slipping her arm through his
for a moment, just to feel that he was there.

"I will be good," she murmured in a moved, vibrant tone, like the deepest
note of the oboe. "Hereafter I will do exactly as you say."

Garth trembled at the sound; and was silent in the excess of his
happiness.

Returning, upon reaching the path up the valley, she made him turn inland;
and they pursued a roundabout course back to the hotel. Nick Grylls,
unhurt except as to certain abrasions of the countenance, and furiously
sullen, had reached there before them. During the rest of their stay he
carefully avoided them; but Garth was more than once conscious of the
venomous little eyes fixed upon him.

VI

NATALIE TELLS ABOUT HERSELF

The little stern-wheeler lay with her nose tucked comfortably in the
mud of the river bank; and a hawser taut between her capstan and a
tree. Every soul on board, except the three passengers, slept. Garth and
Natalie were sitting in the corner of the upper deck astern, on the seat
which encircles the rail. The third passenger, a mysterious person, who
all unknown to the other two had been making it her business to watch
them, observing where they sat, had softly entered the end stateroom;
and with her head at the window, stretched her ears to hear their talk.

The _Aurora Borealis_, after the loss of three precious days, during
which Captain Jack endlessly backed and filled,