ming together of these two, and through all the
long years of weary toil since then they still remained together,
working shoulder to shoulder in a relationship that soon became
something like that of father and son. The Padre remained the
farmer--in a small way. But the boy--well, as had been prophesied by
his dead father, later on he grew big enough to plough the furrows of
life with a strong and sure hand.

The man's reflections were broken into abruptly. The time and distance
had passed more rapidly than he was aware of. The eager animal under
him raised its head, and, pricking its small ears and pulling heavily
on the reins, increased its pace to a gallop. Then it was that the
Padre became suddenly aware that the home stretch had been reached,
and before him lay a long, straight decline in the trail which split a
dense pine-wood bluff of considerable extent.

* * * * *

A man was lounging astride of a fallen pine log. His lean shoulders
were propped against the parent stump. All about him were other stumps
left by those who had made the clearing in the woods. Beyond this the
shadowy deep of the woods ranged on every side, except where the red
sand of a trail broke the monotony of tone.

Near by two horses stood tethered together by a leading rein. One was
a saddle-horse, and the other was equipped with a well-loaded
pack-saddle. It was no mean burden of provisions. The carcass of a
large, black-tailed deer sprawled across the back of the saddle, while
on one side were secured three bags of flour, and on the other
several jack-rabbits were strung together. But the powerful beast
remained unconcernedly nibbling at the sparse green peeping here and
there through the carpet of rotting pine cones and needles which
covered the ground.

The man's eyes were half-closed, yet he was by no means drowsing. On
the contrary, his mind was essentially busy, and the occasional
puckering of his dark brows, and the tightening of his strong jaws,
suggested that his thoughts were not always pleasant.

After a while he sat up. But his movement was only the restlessness
caused by the worry of his thought. And the gaze he turned upon his
foraging horses was quite preoccupied.

A change, however, was not long in coming. Simultaneously both horses
threw up their heads, and one of them gave a sharp, comprehensive
snort. Instantly the man's large brown eyes lit, and a pleasant
expectancy shone in their