avy strain, but still growing steadier on the whole. She was doing
well to sleep. It was better than any medicine he could administer.

Meantime, he must keep a sharp lookout for travellers. They were quite
off the trail here, and the trail was an old one anyway and almost
disused. There was little likelihood of many passers. It might be days
before any one came that way. There was no human habitation within call,
and he dared not leave his charge to go in search of help to carry her
back to civilization again. He must just wait here till she was able to
travel.

It occurred to him to wonder where she belonged and how she came to be
thus alone, and whether it was not altogether probable that a party of
searchers might be out soon with some kind of a conveyance to carry her
home. He must keep a sharp lookout and signal any passing rider.

To this end he moved away from the sleeping girl as far as he dared
leave her, and uttered a long, clear call occasionally, but no answer
came.

He dared not use his rifle for signalling lest he run out of ammunition
which he might need before he got back with his charge. However, he felt
it wise to combine hunting with signalling, and when a rabbit hurried
across his path not far away he shot it, and the sound echoed out in the
clear morning, but no answering signal came.

After he had shot two rabbits and dressed them ready for dinner when his
guest should wake, he replenished the fire, set the rabbits to roasting
on a curious little device of his own, and lay down on the opposite side
of the fire. He was weary beyond expression himself, but he never
thought of it once. The excitement of the occasion kept him up. He lay
still marvelling at the strangeness of his position, and wondering what
would be revealed when the girl should wake. He almost dreaded to have
her do so lest she should not be as perfect as she looked asleep. His
heart was in a tumult of wonder over her, and of thankfulness that he
had found her before some terrible fate had overtaken her.

As he lay there resting, filled with an exalted joy, his mind wandered
to the longings of the day before, the little adobe home of his
co-labourer which he had left, its homeyness and joy; his own loneliness
and longing for companionship. Then he looked shyly towards the tree
shade where the glint of golden hair and the dark line of his blanket
were all he could see of the girl he had found in the wilderness. What
if his Fathe