ay.

Hardly had he crossed the bridge on his way to the pasture, when Berrie
cried out: "There comes daddy."

Wayland joined her at the door, and stood beside her watching the
Supervisor, as he came zigzagging down the steep hill to the east, with
all his horses trailing behind him roped together head-to-tail.

"He's had to come round by Lost Lake," she exclaimed. "He'll be tired
out, and absolutely starved. Wahoo!" she shouted in greeting, and the
Supervisor waved his hand.

There was something superb in the calm seat of the veteran as he slid
down the slope. He kept his place in the saddle with the air of the rider
to whom hunger, fatigue, windfalls, and snowslides were all a part of the
day's work; and when he reined in before the door and dropped from his
horse, he put his arm about his daughter's neck with quiet word: "I
thought I'd find you here. How is everything?"

"All right, daddy; but what about you? Where have you been?"

"Clean back to Mill Park. The blamed cayuses kept just ahead of me all
the way."

"Poor old dad! And on top of that came the snow."

"Yes, and a whole hatful. I couldn't get back over the high pass. Had to
go round by Lost Lake, and to cap all, Old Baldy took a notion not to
lead. Oh, I've had a peach of a time; but here I am. Have you seen Moore
and his party?"

"Yes, they're in camp up the trail. He and Alec Belden and two women. Are
you hungry?"

He turned a comical glance upon her. "Am I hungry? Sister, I am a wolf.
Norcross, take my horses down to the pasture."

She hastened to interpose. "Let me do that, daddy, Mr. Norcross is badly
used up. You see, we started down here late yesterday afternoon. It was
raining and horribly muddy, and I took the wrong trail. The darkness
caught us and we didn't reach the station till nearly midnight."

Wayland acknowledged his weakness. "I guess I made a mistake, Supervisor;
I'm not fitted for this strenuous life."

McFarlane was quick to understand. "I didn't intend to pitchfork you into
the forest life quite so suddenly," he said. "Don't give up yet awhile.
You'll harden to it."

"Here comes Tony," said Berrie. "He'll look after the ponies."

Nevertheless Wayland went out, believing that Berrie wished to be alone
with her father for a short time.

As he took his seat McFarlane said: "You stayed in camp till yesterday
afternoon, did you?"

"Yes, we were expecting you every moment."

He saw nothing in this to remark upon. "Did i