ian; young
people with elastic constitutions die hard: so Alice began to mend, and
in a fortnight was convalescent. Jack got a situation in a quartz mill
where the Doctor was part owner.

Left all day alone in the cabin, Alice began staring again at the dreary
mountains whose walls inclosed her on every side. The bright scarlet and
yellow flowers which grew out of their parched soil sometimes tempted
her to a brief walk; but the lightness of the air fatigued her, and she
did not care to clamber after them.

One day, being lonely, she thought to please Jack by dressing in
something pretty and going to the mill to see him. So, laying aside the
wrapper which she had worn almost constantly lately, she robed herself
in a delicate linen lawn, donned a coquettish little hat and parasol,
and set out for the mill, a mile away. Something in the thought of the
pleasant surprise it would be to Jack gave her strength and animation;
and though she arrived somewhat out of breath, she looked as dainty and
fresh as a rose, and Jack was immensely proud and flattered. He
introduced her to the head of the firm, showed her over the mill,
pointed out to her the mule-train packing wood for the engine fires, got
the amalgamator to give her specimens, and in every way showed his
delight.

After an hour or so she thought about going home; but the walk home
looked in prospect very much longer than the walk to the mill. In truth,
it was harder by reason of being up-hill. But opportunely, as it seemed,
just as Jack was seeing her off the door-stone of the office, Dr. Earle
drove up, and, comprehending the situation, offered to take Mrs.
Hastings to her own door in his carriage, if she would graciously allow
him five minutes to see the head man in.

When they were seated in the carriage, a rare luxury in Deep Canon; and
had driven a half mile in embarrassed silence--for Mrs. Hastings somehow
felt ashamed of her husband's dependence upon this man,--the Doctor
spoke, and what he said was this:

"Your life is very uncongenial to you; you wish to escape from it, don't
you?"

"Yes, I wish to escape; that is the word which suits my feeling--a very
strange feeling it is."

"Describe it," said the Doctor, almost eagerly.

"Ever since I left the railroad, in the midst of a wilderness and was
borne for so many hours away into the heart of a still more desert
wilderness, my consciousness of things has been very much confused. I
can only with difficu