arnock remarked.

"No," said Festing. "We knew the train had passed the Butte, and guessed
where she was held up. But I hardly thought--"

"You didn't think I'd be up to time?" Charnock suggested. "Well, it's
remarkable what a good example does!"

"Did you see Helen?"

"Sadie saw her. I understand she was very well and sent you a message.
You're to finish your job and make good--Helen understands."

Festing was silent a moment, and when he looked up his eyes were soft.
"Thank you, Bob! Or perhaps it's Sadie I ought to thank?"

"I wouldn't bother about it. Sadie's fond of meddling," Charnock
answered with some embarrassment. "But will the snow stop the work?"

"Not altogether. We can keep busy on the hill and I'm going up now. Will
you come?"

"Presently," said Charnock, smiling. "Food's a thing you don't seem to
need when you're occupied, but I want my breakfast before I start."

Festing went away, and after a time Charnock joined him on the hill,
where fresh trees had been felled and roughly squared with the ax. Men
and horses were working hard, but Charnock stopped for a minute or two
before he began. The snow was different from the thin covering that
scarcely hid the short grass on the plains. The pines were glittering
white pyramids, with branches that bent beneath their load, and there
were no inequalities on the drop to the river. Every projection was
leveled up, the hollows were filled, and the snow ran unbroken among the
trunks in a smooth white sheet. It was not drying and getting powdery,
because the frost was not very keen, and he imagined that Festing meant
to get as much lumber as possible down while the surface could be beaten
into a smooth track.

"You might take Gordon's team and break a trail by hauling the lighter
pieces to the top," Festing said. "They'll run down when they have worn
a chute, but we'll have some trouble man-handling the first."

Charnock nodded as he glanced over the edge of the narrow tableland.
The descent was not steep near the top, but farther on it dropped
precipitously to the water, crossing the curve by the bridge.

"How will you stop the heavy stuff going into the river?" he asked.

Festing indicated two men moving about the waterside. They looked
curiously stumpy with their legs buried in the snow.

"I sent them to make a chain fast to the rocks. We'll shackle up the
first logs we run down and make a lumber pond. A few may shoot across
the top, but we'll see w