he snow
had gone for a few hundred feet above the rails; the pines stood out
sharply from the dark background, and the hollows in the glittering
slopes beyond were marked by lines of soft-blue shade. Festing thought a
change was coming, and he had not finished the track too soon.

By and by a plume of smoke rose above the trees and something twinkled
in an opening. A rhythmic snorting and a rumble pierced the throb of the
river, and Kerr looked up the track.

"The engineer's bringing her along fast. Shall I flag him to snub her
and shut the throttle before he runs across the new stuff?"

"No," said Festing quietly. "It won't be needful."

"The work hasn't had much time to settle, and a locomotive using steam
hits the rails harder than when she's running loose."

"We don't want our money until it's earned, and you'll have to haul
heavy loads up the grade when the regular traffic begins."

"In the meantime, I'm not thinking about the rest, but about the gravel
train."

"The track will stand," said Festing, in a steady voice.

The train came on; the long, low-sided cars rocking and banging down the
incline. Small figures jolted up and down on the gravel, and at the far
end the big plow flashed in the sun. The front of the engine got larger,
and Festing fixed his eyes upon the rockwork he had built among the
piles. All that could be done had been done; he had not spared money
or labor, for Charnock had agreed that the job must stand. It was, no
doubt, exaggerated sentiment, for he was highly strung, but he felt that
he had staked his wife's respect and his future happiness on his work.

The ground shook, and flying fragments of ballast beat upon his
turned-down hat; there was a deafening roar as the cars jolted past,
and he saw the rails spring. Then the wind that buffeted him changed
to eddying puffs, the noise receded, and he lifted his bent head. The
rockwork stood firm, the ends of the timbers had not moved, and only
a few small heaps of gravel had fallen from the road-bed. Festing felt
that he was trembling, and Kerr put his hand on his arm.

"It's a good job; I'm quite satisfied. If you'll come along to Norton's
office, I'll tell him he can give you an order on headquarters for your
cheque."

"I'll come instead," said Charnock, who turned to Festing. "Go to the
shack and take a smoke. If you come out before I return, I'll stop the
gang."

Half an hour later he found Festing sitting slackly by the fire.