the humour of it
was difficult to detect. But it pleased him, and he had to laugh, and
when he laughed the echoes rang. It had occurred to him that it took a
man of real brain to be a perfect "damn fool."

The inspiration of his thought was undoubtedly Steve Allenwood. Steve
Allenwood and his affairs had occupied his thoughts all the morning, and
had interfered with a due appreciation of the dinner he had just eaten.
He was perturbed, and Millie had set the match to the powder train of
his emotions and energies. His admiration for Steve was as unstinted as
his sympathy for the call that had been suddenly made on him. But he
knew Steve, and realized the difficulties that lay before him in
carrying out the programme of kindly purpose Millie and he had worked
out over their midday meal. It was this which had brought him to the
conclusion which had inspired his laugh.

In that brief instant the complete silence of the woods about him had
been broken up in startling fashion. No shot from a rifle, no mournful
cry of timber-wolf could disturb the spell of nature like the jarring
note of the human voice.

But it had another effect. It elicited a response no less startling to
the man who had laughed.

"Ho you, Mac!"

Ian Ross halted. He had recognized the voice instantly.

"That you, Steve?"

"Sure," came back the reply.

Instantly the Scotsman's lack of self-consciousness became apparent.

"How in hell did you know it was me?"

It was the turn of the invisible police officer to laugh.

"Guess there's only one laugh like yours north of 60 deg.--less a bull moose
can act that way." Then he went on. "Sharp to your left. I'm down here
on the creek. I was making your place and this way cuts off quite a
piece."

Ross turned off at once and his burly figure crashed its way through the
barrier of delicate-hued spruce. A moment later he was confronting the
officer on the bank of the creek.

Steve's smile was one of cordial welcome.

"I was figgering to get you before you went back to the agency," he said
in explanation.

The doctor's eyes twinkled.

"And I was guessing to get you--before I went."

Steve nodded.

"We were chasing each other."

"Which is mostly a fool stunt."

"Mostly."

They stood smiling into each other's eyes for a moment.

"You were needing me--particular?" Steve enquired after a pause.

Ross glanced down at the gurgling water of the shallow stream as it
passed over its rough gravel bed