showing more faith than you in what this stands for," she
said, rebukingly. "I believe in it. I trust to it. Haven't you the same
kind of loyalty where my grandfather is concerned--after all your years
with him?"

She had appealed to zealous, unquestioning devotion, and it replied to
her. "I reckon you're right. It wouldn't be showing proper respect if I
didn't meet you halfway in the thing." He reached out his hand and
patted the staff. "I'm only a poor old bent stick beside that one. I
even let the horses run away. Yes, they have run away--and now it's all
the long miles to the drive! How'll ye ever get there, Miss Lida?"

"By starting!" she returned, crisply, with something of Flagg's manner.

"There are tote teams going north. Anybody'll be glad to give you a
lift. There are bateaus above here, ferrying supplies up the broad
water, and you may see a canoeman----" He was wistfully grabbing at
hopes.

"I'm not afraid," she assured him bravely.

He helped her with advice while he busied himself by hooking the handle
of her bag over the staff; she carried it across her shoulder and had
something cheerful to say about poverty making light luggage.

In that fashion she fared toward the north, after she had forced a
pledge from the old man that he would keep her secret until her work was
done; she was guilelessly unaware that Flagg's perspicacity had
penetrated her secret.

Dick plodded toward the south.

There, in the midst of the forest, dwarfed by the big trees, they
seemed to be weak reeds for the support of the Flagg fortunes.

Before a bend of the road shut them from sight of each other they turned
and waved a farewell which renewed the pledge.

CHAPTER TWENTY

For a time Lida felt unutterably and miserably lonely and helpless. She
had stepped out of everything that was familiar in the way of human
contact and environment; she was facing the new, the untried, something
that was not a woman's job, as her grandfather had declared.

But it was a job for that one of the Flaggs who still had the grit and
the strength to perform it!

With that thought came her reaction. She began to realize that as long
as Dick had been her companion, her guardian, she had not been conscious
of the real exaltation of determination which now glowed in her. She
felt courage born of sacred zeal. She was alone, but no longer did that
thought trouble her. Because she was alone it was up to her! She walked
on with a stea