ld? The thought
brought an odd excitement to her rather than any fear. A sudden sense of
freedom, as if some galling chain had dropped from her, sent a singular
thrill through her frame. Yet she felt confused with her independence,
not knowing what to do with it, and momentarily dazzled with the
possible gift.

At this moment she heard voices, and the figures of two men appeared on
the trail.

They were talking earnestly, and walking as if familiar with the spot,
yet gazing around them as if at some novelty of the aspect.

"And look there," said one; "there has been some serious disturbance of
that outcrop," pointing in the direction of the spring; "the lower
part has distinctly subsided." He spoke with a certain authority, and
dominance of position, and was evidently the superior, as he was the
elder of the two, although both were roughly dressed.

"Yes, it does kinder look as if it had lost its holt, like the ledge
yonder."

"And you see I am right; the movement was from east to west," continued
the elder man.

The girl could not comprehend what they said, and even thought them
a little silly. But she advanced towards them; at which they stopped
short, staring at her. With feminine instinct she addressed the more
important one:--

"Ye ain't passed no wagon nor team goin' on, hev ye?"

"What sort of wagon?" said the man.

"Em'grant wagon, two yaller hosses. Old man--my dad--drivin'." She added
the latter kinship as a protecting influence against strangers, in spite
of her previous independence.

The men glanced at each other.

"How long ago?"

The girl suddenly remembered that she had slept two hours.

"Sens noon," she said hesitatingly.

"Since the earthquake?"

"Wot's that?"

The man came impatiently towards her. "How did you come here?"

"Got outer the wagon to walk. I reckon dad missed the trail, and hez got
off somewhere where I can't find him."

"What trail was he on,--where was he going?"

"Sank Hozay,* I reckon. He was goin' up the grade--side o' the hill; he
must hev turned off where there's a big rock hangin' over."

* San Jose.

"Did you SEE him turn off?"

"No."

The second man, who was in hearing distance, had turned away, and was
ostentatiously examining the sky and the treetops; the man who had
spoken to her joined him, and they said something in a low voice. They
turned again and came slowly towards her. She, from some obscure sense
of imitation, stared at the treet