S A DISCOVERY

Old Pete and Keith walked back to the former's cabin together, and left
Constance for a time alone with her father.

"One of the b'ys'll come," said Pete, "an' sit with yer dad, so ye kin
git some sleep, fer ye need it mighty bad."

It was early dawn as the two plodded their way through the deep snow.
The furious storm of the night had ceased, and a hush reigned over the
land, as if in honour of the birth of the Great Prince of Peace. All
around lay the virgin snow, unsullied as yet by its contact with earth,
and untrodden save by the two night watchers.

"How like my life," thought Keith. "Last night, the storm howling and
raging; this morning the stillness of God. Ah, I see it clearly," he
unconsciously uttered aloud, following hard in Pete's footsteps.

"Hey? what d'ye see?" asked the prospector, suddenly stopping and
looking at his companion.

Keith laughed. "Nothing outwardly," he replied. "I must have been
dreaming and forgot myself."

"Umph!" returned the other, and continued on his way.

"An' what did ye see out yon, laddie?" queried Pete, when they at
length reached the cabin.

Keith looked keenly at the old man, but only an expression of calmness,
tinged with sadness, was depicted upon his rugged countenance.

"I saw much, Pete, very much."

"So did I, laddie. I saw it, too."

"And what did _you_ see, Pete?"

The prospector looked intently into the young man's face before
replying.

"I saw," he said slowly, "a new trail bein' blazed out fer ye by the
hand of the Almighty. Somethin' tells me, I dunno what it is, unless
it was yer knocked out condition last night, an' yer rough appearance,
that ye've been on a hard trail of late."

"I have, Pete, I have," assented Keith, resisting with difficulty the
temptation to tell his companion all about his troubles.

"I knowed it, laddie. An' now ye've almost fergot the old trail with
all its snags, because a new one lies afore ye. Ye'll find snags thar,
too, remember, but it'll make all the difference in the warld when the
shinin' light of a true woman lightens yer path."

"Pete!" exclaimed Keith. "I----"

"It reminds me of this cabin," continued the prospector, unheeding the
interruption. "I come back to it, sometimes, tired an' discouraged.
The place is cold and dismal, an' I feel that life isn't worth livin'.
But when yon stove gits to wark, blazin' away like mad, purty soon
things change, an' a new feelin' creeps over