n
where they were for some weeks, and if care was not exercised the
problem of food would grow acute. He must warn her to ration the food
and to eke it out. His thought was interrupted by her appearance at the
tent door. She held in her hand a fishing line that he had purchased at
the Post and a packet of hooks.

"I go a-fishing," she cried gaily. "Wish me luck?"

"Good hunting!" he laughed back. "I hope there is fish in the stream."

"Herds! Flocks! Coveys! Schools! What you like. I saw them when I was
hunting for the balsam."

"That is fortunate," he said quietly. "You know, Miss Yardely, we may
have to depend on fin and feather for food. The stores I brought were
only meant to last until I could deliver you to your uncle. We shall
have to economize."

"I have thought of that," she said with a little nod. "I have been
carefully through the provisions. But we will make them last, never
fear! You don't know what a Diana I am." She smiled again, and
withdrew, and an hour later returned with a string of fish which she
exhibited with pride. "The water is full of them," she said. "And I've
discovered something. A little way from here the stream empties into a
small lake which simply swarms with wild fowl. There is no fear of us
starving!"

"Can you shoot?" he inquired.

"I have killed driven grouse in Scotland," she answered with a smile.
"But I suppose ammunition is valuable up here, and I'm going to try the
poacher's way."

"The poacher's way?"

"Yes. Snares! There is a roll of copper wire in your pack. I've watched
a warrener at home making rabbit snares, and as there's no particular
mystery about the art, and those birds are so unsophisticated, I shall
be sure to get some. You see if I don't. But first I must build my
house. The open sky is all very well, but it might come on to rain, and
then the roofless caravanserai would not be very comfortable. It is a
good thing we brought an ax along."

She turned away, and after perhaps half an hour he caught the sound of
an ax at work in the wood a little way from the tent. The sound reached
him intermittently for some time, and then ceased; and after a few
minutes there came a further sound of burdened steps, followed by that
of poles tossed on the ground close to the tent. Then the girl looked
in on him. Her face was flushed with her exertions, her forehead was
bedewed with a fine sweat, her hair was tumbled and awry, and he
noticed instantly that she had change