."

Charley sank down with a grateful sigh and Roger, recalling his pipe,
took it out, filled it and essayed several puffs, then established
himself beside Charley.

"I couldn't stay indoors," she said. "Dick made us all lie down for a
few hours' sleep, but I couldn't sleep. I thought perhaps she might have
gone up the trail that she took when she went to find the Indians. If
the Indian went down toward your camp, she would try to go in the
opposite direction. And then, I got to wondering if she stole down to
the camp, while we were all occupied with Dick, and finding it all dark,
she got confused and--And then I wonder--"

Roger laid a quiet hand on the interlaced fingers with which Charley was
clasping her knee.

"Easy now, Charley, easy. Have you had your supper?" Charley turned to
look at him. His own eyes filled at the glimpse he got of the misery in
her deep eyes--Felicia's eyes.

"Yes, I think I did," she answered.

"That's fine! Now is any one staying down at the camp in case she
wanders in there?"

"Gustav's there."

"All right! Good old Gustav. It seems to me your idea about the Indian
trail is a good one. How did you come clear up here, when you were
headed into the range."

"My 'bug' went out and I'd lost my matches, so I wandered off the trail,
I guess, till I saw your light."

"My heavens, Charley. But it was a horrible risk you ran! You might
have--"

"Don't scold," said Charley drearily. "What does it matter?"

"I won't scold," replied Roger with a gentle note in his voice that no
one but Felicia had ever heard. "Now, I tell you what we'll do. We'll
just rest here until the moon comes up. Then we'll try the Indian trail.
Let's spread this blanket so you can lie down."

"I don't want to lie down. I just want to sit here by you. She loved you
so."

"All right, Charley. I'll smoke and we'll buck each other up. How's
Dick?"

"I don't really know. He won't let any of us touch him. He must be in
great pain."

"I hope so," said Roger bitterly.

Charley made no reply. The process of bucking each other up did not
proceed with much enthusiasm. The two sat brooding over the tiny blaze.
Now and again Peter returned from a short foraging expedition and
thrusting a soft nose over one of their shoulders waited to have his
forehead rubbed, then started off again.

Roger noted that Charley's pallor had given way to flushed cheeks, and
suddenly he was aware that he too was parched and feverish; t