p! You'll want your
pins yet. You mustn't confound this place with High Valley. That's
sixteen miles off and hasn't a shop."

The discussion was brought to end by the stopping of the train. In
another moment Geoff Templestowe appeared at the door.

"Hallo, Lion! glad to see you. Imogen," shaking hands warmly, "how are
you? Welcome to Colorado. I'm afraid you've had a bad journey in this
heat."

"It _has_ been beastly. Poor Moggy's dead beat, I'm afraid. Neither of
us could sleep a wink last night for the dust and sand. Well, it's all
well that ends well. We'll cool her off in the valley. How is everything
going on there? Mrs. Templestowe all right, and Mrs. Page, and the
children? I declare," stretching himself, "it's a blessing to get a
breath of good air again. There's nothing in the world that can compare
with Colorado."

A light carryall was waiting near the station, whose top was little more
than a fringed awning. Into this Geoffrey helped Imogen, and proceeded
to settle her wraps and bags in various seat boxes and pockets with
which the carriage was cleverly fitted up. It was truly a carry-all and
came and went continually between the valley and St. Helen's.

"Now," he remarked as he stuffed in the last parcel, "we will just stop
long enough to get the mail and some iced tea, which I ordered as I
came down, and then be off. You'll find a cold chicken in that basket,
Lion. Clover was sure you'd need something, and there's no time for a
regular meal if we are to get in before dark."

"Iced tea! what a queer idea!" said Imogen.

"I forgot that you were not used to it. We drink it a great deal here in
summer. Would you rather have some hot? I didn't fancy that you would
care for it, the day is so warm; but we'll wait and have it made, if you
prefer."

"Oh, no. I won't delay you," said Imogen, rather grudgingly. She was
disposed to resent the iced tea as an American innovation, but when she
tried it she found herself, to her own surprise, liking it very much.
"Only, why do they call it tea," she meditated. "It's a great deal more
like punch--all lemon and things." But she had to own that it was
wonderfully refreshing.

The sun was blazing on the plain; but after they began to wind up the
pass a cool, strong wind blew in their faces and the day seemed suddenly
delightful. The unfamiliar flowers and shrubs, the strange rock forms
and colors, the occasional mountain glimpses, interested Imogen so much
that for