Denver.

"No time; train's here," came back from the station in the canyon; and
Brockway's friend sat back and chuckled softly.

XX

CHIEFLY SCENIC

When the train drew up to the platform at Beaver Brook, Brockway asked
Gertrude if he should go and see if there were a message for her.

"No," she said, perversely; "let it find me, if it can."

It came, a minute later, by the hand of Conductor Halsey. She read it
with a little frown of perplexity gathering between the straight brows.

"Do we live or die?" Brockway asked, crucially anxious to know what his
friend had been able to do for him.

"Why, I don't understand it at all; it's simply Greek, after the other
one. Papa says: 'Do not return on forenoon train. We shall wait for
you.'"

"Good; I am a true prophet, and our white day is assured."

"Y--yes, but I don't begin to understand how he came to change his mind
so quickly."

"Perhaps it was the moral force of my impudence," ventured Brockway.

"Don't make any such mistake as that," she said, quickly. "Papa will not
forgive or forget that, and I am sorry you did it."

"You are a bundle of inconsistencies, as you promised to be," Brockway
retorted. "But I'm not sorry, and I don't pretend to be. If I had
smothered my little inspiration and given you your telegram at Golden,
you wouldn't be enjoying this magnificent scenery now."

"No; and it is grand beyond words, isn't it? If it wasn't for the name
of it, I could rave over it like a veritable 'Cooky.' Can't we go out on
the platform?"

"Yes; but you'll get your eyes full of cinders."

"I don't care. Let's go, anyway."

They did it and, for a wonder, found the rear platform of the second
observation-car unoccupied. Gertrude wanted to sit on the step, but
Brockway objected, on the score of danger from the jutting rocks; so
they stood together, bracing themselves and clinging to the hand-rails.

"Show me the 'Old Man of the Mountain' when we come to it," she said;
"of course, there _is_ an 'Old Man of the Mountain'?"

"There is, indeed, but we passed him long ago--at least, the one that is
always pointed out to the 'Cookies' as you call them. But if you will
watch the outlines of the cliffs you can find one of your own in any
half-mile of the canyon."

"I don't want one if they are as cheap as that. I suppose you have made
them at a pinch, haven't you? when you had forgotten to point out the
real one?"

"I'm afraid I have; just as I have