came to where I
sat huddled up miserably in the sun behind the bowlder.

"Luncheon is ready," she said.

I groaned.

"Don't you feel well?"

I said that I did not.

She lingered apparently with the idea of cheering me up. "It's been
such fun," she said. "Professor Lezard and I have already located over
a hundred and fifty mammoths within a short distance of here, and
apparently there are hundreds, if not thousands, more in the vicinity.
The ivory alone is worth over a million dollars. Isn't it wonderful!"

She laughed excitedly and danced away to join the others. Then, out of
the black depth of my misery a feeble gleam illuminated the Stygian
obscurity. There was one way left to stay my approaching downfall--only
one. Professor Bottomly meant to get rid of me, "for the good of the
Bronx," but there remained a way to ward off impending disaster. And
though I had lost the opportunity of my life by disbelieving the simple
honesty of James Skaw,--and though the honors and emoluments and applause
which ought to have been mine were destined for this determined woman,
still, if I kept my head, I should be able to hold my job at the Bronx.

Dr. Delmour was immovable in the good graces of Professor Bottomly; and
the only way for me to retain my position was to marry her.

The thought comforted me. After a while I felt well enough to arise and
partake of some luncheon.

They were all seated around the campfire when I approached. I was
welcomed politely, inquiries concerning my health were offered; but the
coldly malevolent glare of Dr. Fooss and the calm contempt in Lezard's
gaze chilled me; and I squatted down by Daisy Delmour and accepted a dish
of soup from her in mortified silence.

Professor Bottomly and James Skaw were feasting connubially side by side,
and she was selecting titbits for him which he dutifully swallowed, his
large mild eyes gazing at vacancy in a gentle, surprised sort of way as
he gulped down what she offered him.

Neither of them paid any attention to anybody else.

Fooss gobbled his lunch in a sort of raging silence; Lezard, on the other
side of Dr. Delmour, conversed with her continually in undertones.

After a while his persistent murmuring began to make me uneasy, even
suspicious, and I glared at him sideways.

Daisy Delmour, catching my eye, blushed, hesitated, then leaning over
toward me with delightful confusion she whispered:

"I know that you will be glad to hear that I have jus