s to picnic," said Gloria. "But it is
so much jollier by running water."

"If you can fight down that hunger of yours for a few miles," he told
her, "I'll show you the prettiest picnic spot you ever saw. And one, by
the way, that precious few folks know about. It's tucked away as if the
mountains had the notion to hide it from all invaders."

She was immediately all eagerness to come to it. But she was quick to
see that, though King laughed with her, he retained certain serious
thoughts of his own. Thoughts which, of course, had to do with his
errand to-day. She wondered what had happened at Honeycutt's; if King
had had any words with Swen Brodie. She had been wondering that ever
since he rejoined her under the tree. But now, as then, she held back
her question, since she was also wondering something else--if he would
tell her without being asked.

When they came to a spring freshet which they had crossed this morning
King turned off to the right, riding up-stream, his horse's hoofs
splashing mightily in the water. Gloria, looking on ahead, saw only
rock-bound canon walls on either hand and a tangle of alder-bushes
across the creek.

"Come on," called King. "Keep your horse right in the water and in two
shakes I'll show you my Hidden Place. You are going to like it."

Though she was little impressed by what she could see, she followed. Now
and then an alder brushed against her; once King waited, holding back a
green barrier which he had thrust to one side. The shrubbery thickened;
in five minutes she could catch but broken glimpses of the slopes rising
to right and left. Their horses splashed through a deep pool, and King
told Gloria to let her animal have his head so that he could pick his
way among submerged boulders. There came a spot where the banks sloped
gently again, and here he rode out upon a bit of springy sward, ringed
with alder and willow. As he dismounted Gloria looked uncertainly about
her. Damp underfoot and a paradise for mosquitoes, was her thought. He
caught her look and laughed.

"We get down here and leave the horses," he informed her. "They can top
off their grain and hay with grass while we dine. We go only about fifty
steps further but we go on foot."

She came down lightly, again all eager curiosity. King carrying their
provision-bag went ahead breaking aside the shrubbery for Gloria close
at his heels. They ploughed through what looked to her like an
impenetrable thicket; they forded th