ngs than
Haig and the runaway. They supped on bacon and eggs, with bread and
butter and milk; and an hour afterwards Marion was tucked away in a
comfortable bed in that queer "spare bedroom" up against the eaves of
the log cabin.

Exhaustion soon brought her sleep. But in the middle of the night she
was awakened by a storm that swept high over the ranch house, scarcely
touching it in its sheltered hollow, but shrieking and wailing among
the rocks and pines. She sat up in her bed to listen! Thunder
Mountain! Before her eyes there rose, out of the dark of the cabin, a
vision of Philip prone among the rocks of that terrible summit, struck
down by the wind, or felled by a thunderbolt, drenched with rain, and
perishing of cold. There came, above the howling of the wind, a
deafening crash of thunder that rolled away in sullen bellowing. She
buried her face among the pillows to shut out the frightful sound; and
at length, when the tumult had died away to recur no more, she lay
weeping softly until sleep came again to her relief. She did not wake
again till morning.

"How much farther up can I go?" asked Marion at breakfast.

"You don't mean----" began Mrs. Murray in alarm.

"No," replied Marion quickly. "I don't mean the top. But can't I ride
near enough to see it?"

"You c'n go to timber line safe enough," said Murray.

"Yes, I've been that far, but you mustn't think o' goin' further,"
added the woman, still suspicious. "I'll tell you what! Murray'll go
with you."

"By no means!" Marion protested. "It isn't necessary at all. I can
follow trails well enough."

"I wish you'd let Murray go with you. He'll be glad to show you----"

"No. Thank you just the same, Mrs. Murray, but----"

"And you'll not try to go past timber line?"

"Don't worry about that, please! I know I could never go where men
have failed. I've heard all about Thunder Mountain, and I just want to
see it, near. Besides----"

She did not finish, but turned quickly away. This sign of emotion was
not hidden from Mrs. Murray, and it heightened her anxiety. Lord only
knew what the girl'd try to do once she got out of their sight! But
where the intellectual and argumentative Smythe had failed, what could
be expected of these simple mountain folk, who for all their sturdy
independence were not a little awed by the superior poise and
distinction of their visitor? Moreover, Marion was at this moment
entirely honest in her assurance that she intended to go