message that I was going to stop the night at
Murray's."

"And the Murrays? What did you tell them?"

"That I'd be back before night. But why do you ask?"

"I'm thinking that Smythe is a fool, and Murray is a blockhead."

"They did all they could to stop me," she answered quietly.

She had begun to strip the bark and twigs from the green limbs; and he
watched her crude efforts for a moment.

"I think I might manage that part of it," he said at length. "You must
build a fire."

She started to obey him, but stopped short, and looked at him in
sudden fear and suspicion.

"No, you can trust me with the knife," he said. "I promise."

She handed the limbs and the knife to him; and he saw that her hands
trembled.

"You'll find plenty of dead wood at the edge of the forest," he said.
"Don't venture far among the trees."

The shadows were deepening along the other side of the meadow, and he
watched her a little anxiously while she made half a dozen trips for
dry limbs and small chunks of half-rotted logs. And now she felt a
curious thrill as she began to employ the knowledge she had gained on
her camping expedition. She had never dreamed that it would be so
useful to her! And she found new courage in thinking, while she
worked, how all her life she had been undergoing preparation,
training, education for this hour. She wished that she might run to
Philip and tell him all this--and of her faith! But he would not
understand her.

Soon a fine fire was crackling on the grass, against one of the
largest stones that had fallen from the cliff. Then she brought a
small package from her bundle, and made a cup of hot chocolate for
Haig and another for herself. This, with a small slice of bread for
each of them, made their supper for that day; for such provisions as
they possessed must be treasured scrupulously.

Haig had by this time finished trimming the aspen sticks; and by the
fading light of day and the red light of the fire they set to work to
mend the broken leg. Between them they knew something of surgery: she
by recollecting all that she had seen in her father's office, where
she had more than once helped Doctor Gaylord with his needles and
bandages; he by recalling experiences on battlefields, in lumber
camps, and in various rough places of the world. She brought his
blankets, and helped him to move until he lay flat on them, with his
head propped against a stone. Then the leg was stripped, and the
ordeal began