rom their view by juttings of the vast walls. Yet
now and again one or the other caught a flash that marked the advance
of the explorers.

Towards midday a last flash was seen by both above the turn where the
canyon curved to run towards Dry Fork Gulch. Between this point and the
sharp bend opposite the gulch the precipices overhung the canyon
bottom. Carrying the baby, the two hastened to the bend, to heap up
and light a great beacon fire of green wood.

Gowan followed with the ponies, cool, silent and efficient. From the
first he had seldom looked over into the canyon. His part was to serve
Miss Chuckie and her friend, and wait. Like Ashton, he had failed to
surmise the real significance of that tender parting between Blake and
Isobel. His look had betrayed boundless amazement when he saw the wife
of the man take the sobbing girl into her arms and comfort her. But he
had spoken no word of inquiry; and every moment since, both ladies had
been too utterly absorbed in their watch to talk to him of anything
else.

At last the exploration was nearing the turning point. Genevieve and
Isobel lay on the edge of the precipice near the beacon fire, peering
down for the flash that would tell of the last rod reading.

Slowly the minutes dragged by, and no welcome signal flashed through
the dark shadows. The usual interval between shots had passed. Still
no signal. They waited and watched, with fast-mounting apprehension.
Could the brave ones down in those fearsome depths have failed almost
in sight of the goal? or could misfortune have overtaken them in that
narrow, cavernous reach of the chasm so close to their objective
point?

At last--"There! there it is!"

Together the two watchers saw the flash, and together they shrieked
the glad discovery.

Genevieve rose to go to her crying baby. Before she could silence him,
Isobel screamed to her: "Another shot!--farther downstream! What can
it mean?"

Genevieve put down the still-sobbing baby and ran again to the verge
of the precipice. Two minutes after the second flash there came a
third, a few yards still farther along the canyon.

"They have changed their plans. They are going downstream," said
Genevieve.

She caught up the long pole of the flag and ran to thrust it out
opposite the point where she had seen the flash.

Gowan was preparing for the return trip up along the canyon to the
starting point. At Isobel's call, he silently turned the ponies about
the other w