not be so young of heart.

Their talk flitted here and there in exclamations, each bringing an
entail of recollection of some familiar, enjoyed thing; and when at last
it returned to their immediate surroundings the shadow of the range was
creeping out onto the plain, cut by the brilliance of the sun through the
V. Mary rose with a quick, self-accusing cry about the lateness of the
hour. To him it was a call on his resources to delay their departure.

"Do you see where that shelf breaks abruptly?" he asked. "It must be the
side of a canyon. Have you ever looked down?"

"I started to once."

"I should not like to go over the pass again without seeing if this
is really a canyon of any account. I feel myself quite an authority
on canyons."

"It will be dark before we reach Little Rivers!" she protested.

"Ten minutes--only a step!" and he was appealing in his boyish fashion to
have his way.

"Nonsense! Besides, I do not care for canyons."

"You still fear, then, to look down from walls? You--"

And this decided her. On another occasion she had gone to the precipice
edge and faltered. She would master her dizziness for once and all; he
should not know from her any confession of a weakness which was purely of
the imagination.

The point to which he had alluded was an immense overhanging slab of
granite stratum deep set in the mountain side. As they approached, a
thrill of lightness and uncertainty was setting her limbs a-quiver. Her
elbow was touching his, her will driving her feet forward desperately.
Suddenly she was gazing down, down, down, into black depths which
seemed calling irresistibly and melting her power of muscular volition,
while he with another step was on the very edge, leaning over and
smiling. She dropped back convulsively. He was all happy absorption in
the face of that abyss. How easy for him to topple over and go hurtling
into the chasm!

"Don't!" she gasped, and blindly tugged at his arm to draw him back.

As he looked around in surprise and inquiry, she withdrew her hand in a
reaction against her familiarity, yet did not lower it, holding it out
with fingers spread in expression of her horror. Serenely he regarded
her for a moment in her confusion and distress, and then, smiling, while
the still light of confidence was in his eyes, he locked his arm in hers.
Before she could protest or resist he had drawn her to his side.

"It is just as safe as looking off the roof of a porch on to a f