e her companion prospected
about in the earth, to find the vein in which his treasure was buried.
At last it was found; but not even Mrs. Euphemia Pennypoker could
present a dignified appearance as she received her muddy shoe from the
end of the Reverend Gabriel's cane, drew it on to her foot, and walked
away towards the station, with mingled clay and water oozing out from
her gaiter, at her every step.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE BEGINNING OF THE OLD STORY.

Once more winter had come, and the snow lay deep and white over the
little camp. The pines on the mountain sides looked a hazy blue against
the glistening slopes, and the bald white summits of the mountains
themselves stood out in bold relief against the clear blue heavens. Even
the night sky was changed at that altitude, for the stars glittered down
through the cold, still air, with an intensity which made them look like
gleaming bits of metal scattered over the dense, dark-blue clouds; while
often and often the north was lighted with the glare of the pale aurora
which streamed far across the sky, in long, waving banners of rose color
or light green.

"But I like the way you people out here make fun of New England
weather," remonstrated Charlie one day, as he stood in the front window,
watching a sudden flurry of snow sweep down through the canon. "When I
went down town to get the mail, this morning, it was raining so hard
that I wore my mackintosh; but, by the time I was at the post-office,
the sun was shining. I walked straight back home again, and it was
hailing when I came up the steps. What sort of a climate do you call it,
anyway?"

"A perfect one," returned Allie loyally.

"Not much! Montana buys up the job lots of weather left over from the
other States, and cuts them up small before she serves them out again,
just as they happen to come. Montana weather and Montana slang are the
two richest crops in the State."

The past two months had been unbroken by any event of marked importance.
Between their lessons and their frolics, the time of the young people
had been well filled, and the days had hurried by, without any one's
stopping to ask where they had gone. At the Burnams', life was going on
smoothly and pleasantly, although Mr. Burnam was now busy in the field,
hurrying to accomplish all that he could, before the storms of February
should drive his party out of the mountains, until the spring thaws made
field work possible once more.

By way of