k. Is he
badly hurt?"

"Well, he had a terrible fall. But he's easier now. I think he's
asleep."

"May I look in on him?"

"I don't think you'd better take the time. It's a long, hard ride from
here to the station. It will be deep night before you can make it--"

"Don't you think the Supervisor would want me to camp here to-night and
do what I could for you? If Norcross is badly injured you will need me."

She liked Nash, and she knew he was right, and yet she was reluctant to
give up the pleasure of her lone vigil. "He's not in any danger, and
we'll be able to ride on in the morning."

Nash, thinking of her as Clifford Belden's promised wife, had no
suspicion of her feeling toward Norcross. Therefore he gently urged that
to go on was quite out of order. "I _can't_ think of leaving you here
alone--certainly not till I see Norcross and find out how badly he is
hurt."

She yielded. "I reckon you're right," she said. "I'll go see if he is
awake."

He followed her to the door of the tent, apprehending something new and
inexplicable in her attitude. In the music of her voice as she spoke to
the sick man was the love-note of the mate. "You may come in," she called
back, and Nash, stooping, entered the small tent.

"Hello, old man, what you been doing with yourself? Hitting the high
spots?"

Norcross smiled feebly. "No, the hill flew up and bumped _me_."

"How did it all happen?"

"I don't exactly know. It all came of a sudden. I had no share in it--I
didn't go for to do it."

"Whether you did or not, you seem to have made a good job of it."

Nash examined the wounded man carefully, and his skill and strength in
handling Norcross pleased Berrie, though she was jealous of the warm
friendship which seemed to exist between the men.

She had always liked Nash, but she resented him now, especially as he
insisted on taking charge of the case; but she gave way finally, and went
back to her pots and pans with pensive countenance.

A little later, when Nash came out to make report, she was not very
gracious in her manner. "He's pretty badly hurt," he said. "There's an
ugly gash in his scalp, and the shock has produced a good deal of pain
and confusion in his head; but he's going to be all right in a day or
two. For a man seeking rest and recuperation he certainly has had a tough
run of weather."

Though a serious-minded, honorable forester, determined to keep sternly
in mind that he was in the presence of the dau