of finding white women--"

"They are ladies, Waldo! I never saw such--and I feel that they must be
the ones lost by poor Edgecombe when that storm--"

"That's all right enough, old fellow," interrupted Waldo, claiming the
glass once more. "No need of your playing the porker on legs, though, as
I see. Give another fellow a chance to squint. But aren't they regular
jo-dandies, though, for a fact?"

The two women in question, clad in flowing robes of white, lit up here
and there by a dash of colour, were slowly pacing to and fro upon the
temple where first discovered by the keen-eyed youngster. Thanks to the
excellent glass, it was possible to view them clearly in spite of the
distance, and there could be no dispute upon that one point: both mother
and daughter (granting that such was their relationship) were more than
ordinarily fair and comely of both face and person.

For the better part of an hour that slow promenade lasted, and until
the women finally passed beyond their range of vision, the brothers took
eager and copious notes. Then, in spite of the fact that scores of other
figures still came within their field of vision, curiosity lagged.

"It's like watching a street medicine show, after hearing Patti or
seeing Irving," muttered Bruno, drawing back and stretching his wearied
limbs beyond possible discovery.

"Or the A B C class playing two-old-cat, after a league game of extra
innings; right you are, my hearty!" coincided Waldo, feeling pretty much
the same way, "only with a difference."

Shortly after this, Bruno suggested a retreat to the rendezvous, and for
a wonder his brother agreed without amendment.

The brothers passed down to the gulch, which formed the easiest route
to their refuge, saying very little, and that in lowered tones. The
confirmation so recently won served to stir their hearts deeply, and
neither boy could as yet see a way out of the labyrinth that discovery
most assuredly opened up before them.

"Of course we can't leave them there to drag on such a wretched
existence," declared Bruno. "We couldn't do that, even though we learned
they held no relationship to Mr. Edgecombe. But--how?"

"I reckon it's--what?" abruptly spoke Waldo, gripping an arm and
stopping short for a few seconds, but then impulsively springing onward
again as wild sounds arose from no great distance.

A score of seconds later they caught sight of a huge grizzly bear in
the act of falling upon a slender stripli