grade, but we must hurry, to
have you home before dark.'

"She turned to answer but stopped, looking beyond me to the bridge. Then I
saw the setter had caught her attention. He was coming back. His black
body moved in strong relief against the ice-field, and I noticed he had
something in his mouth. It seemed about the size and color of a grouse,--a
ptarmigan, no doubt. Then it flashed over me the thing was a hat. At the
same moment I felt her tremble, and I had just time to see that her face
had gone white, when she sank against me, a dead weight. I carried her a
few yards to a bank of heather and laid her down, and while I was filling
my folding cup at the stream, the dog bounded over the rocks and dropped
the thing on her breast. It was a hat, a gray felt with a good brim, such
as a prospector, or indeed any man who lives in the open, favors; but the
setter's actions,--he alternately rushed towards the glacier and back to
his mistress, with short yelps,--warned me to be careful, and I tucked the
hat out of sight, between two stones. The dog had it out instantly, bent
on giving it to her, but I snatched it from him and threw it into the
torrent, where it struck upright, floating lightly on the brim, and lodged
in a shallow. He followed and came bounding back with it, while I was
raising the cup to her lips, and I had barely a chance to crowd it into my
blanket roll when she opened her eyes. 'He had Louis' hat,' she said and
drifted into unconsciousness again.

"I took my flask from my pocket and, blaming myself for bringing her that
hard trip, mixed a draught. It revived her, and in a moment she started
up. 'Where is the hat?' she asked, looking about her. 'Jerry had it on the
ice-bridge.'

"At the sound of her voice, the dog, who had been trying to get at the
hat, commenced his manoeuvers to attract her across the gorge, bounding
ahead, calling her with his short, excited barks, and making all the signs
of a hunting dog impatient to lead to the quarry. She tried to get to her
feet, but I put my hand on her shoulder. 'Wait, madam,' I said. 'You must
rest a little longer before you try to start back. You were so tired you
fainted. And your eyes must have played you a trick.'

"'You mean,' she began and stopped.

"I am not much of a dissembler, and I found it hard to meet her look, but
I answered with all the assurance I could muster. 'I mean, madam, you are
mistaken about that hat.'

"She waited a moment, watching