t of Ygerne
and her companions. Upon the afternoon of the second day Drennen and
Sothern, still working northward along the chain of lakes, came to
unmistakable signs of a fresh trail, made by two men, turning in from
the westward. In the wet sand of a rivulet were the tracks. One was
of an unusually large boot, the other of a smaller boot with a higher
heel that had sunk deep.

"Kootanie George and Lieutenant Max, I think," announced Drennen.
"It's a fair bet, since they're both somewhere in the neighbourhood and
may well enough be travelling together. They've gone on ahead. . . ."

They travelled late that afternoon, Drennen setting a hard pace,
seemingly forgetful of the man who followed. Drennen's eyes had grown
bright as with fever; for the first time he showed a hint of excitement
through the stern mask of his face. He felt strangely assured that he
had come close to the end of a long trail. But that was not the
thought which caused his excitement. It was the fear that perhaps
Kootanie George and Max might first come up with the quarry.

Signs of fatigue showed upon Marshall Sothern an hour before they made
camp. Drennen sought and failed to hide the restlessness upon him.
The next morning, a full hour before the customary time for making the
start for the day, Drennen had thrown the half diamond hitch which
bespoke readiness. They reached Lake Nopong before noon and all day
fought their way northward along its shore. Before night came they had
heard a rifle shot perhaps a mile further on. A rifle shot might mean
anything. No doubt it merely told of a shot at a chance deer. But
Drennen's anxiety, already marked, grew greater.

Drennen left their camp fire when they had made their evening meal and
climbed the little cliffs standing at the skirt of the strip of valley
land east of Lake Nopong. Half an hour later he came back. Sothern,
removing his pipe from his mouth, looked up expectantly.

"I think I can make out their camp fire," Drennen said, speaking
slowly. "I imagine an hour would bring us up with them."

Sothern knocked out his pipe and got to his feet. Tightening the pack
upon his mule's back he removed the rifle which had always ridden there
and carried it in his hand. Drennen's own rifle remained on his pack;
he did not seem to have noticed Sothern's act.

Two hours later, sending before them an announcement of their approach
in a rattle of loose stones down a steep trail, they c