why, if all that's left is to go down into the canyon?" added
Isobel, dabbing the tears from her wet eyes.

Ashton thrust in an answer before Blake could speak. "We must see how
high the upper mesa is above this one, Miss Chuckie, and then compare
the difference of altitude with the depth of the canyon, to see whether
its bottom is above or below the bottom of the gulch."

"Oh--measure up and then down, to see which way is longest," said
Genevieve.

"Sorry, ma'am," broke in Knowles. "We'll have to be starting now to
get home by dark. If you think you can trust me with that young man,
I'd like the honor of packing him all the way in. I've toted calves
for miles, so I guess I can hold onto a baby if I use both hands."

"You shall have him!" replied Genevieve, smiling like a daughter as
she met the look in his grave eyes. "Tom, give Thomas to Mr.
Knowles--when he is safe in the saddle."

Even Gowan cracked a smile at this cautious qualification. He hastened
to bring Isobel's horse and hold him for her--which gave Ashton the
opportunity to help her mount. Both services were needless, but she
rewarded each eager servitor with a dimpled smile. When Blake handed
the baby up to Knowles, his wife, untroubled by mock modesty, gave him
a loving kiss. He lifted her bodily into the saddle, and she rode off
with her three companions.

Isobel, however, wheeled within the first few yards, and came back for
a parting word: "You can expect us quite early tomorrow. We will
overtake you on your way up the mountain. I wish Genevieve to see the
canyon. Good night--Pleasant dreams!"

She had addressed Ashton, but her last smile was for Blake, and it was
undisguisedly affectionate. As she loped away after the others, Ashton
frowned, and, picking up his rifle, started off up the valley. Blake
was staring after the girl with a wondering look. He turned to cast a
quizzical glance at the back of the resentful lover.

When the latter had disappeared around the hill, the engineer took the
frying pan and walked up into the creek bed above the dike. After
going some distance over the gravel bars, he came to a place where
the swirl of the last freshet had gouged a hole almost to bedrock.
Scooping a panful of sand and gravel from the bottom of the hole, he
went back and squatted down beside the pool within easy reach of the
water.

He picked the larger pebbles from the pan, added water, and began to
swirl the contents around with a circular m