and the two young
people passed on into the street.

"You must let me watch with your father to-night," Hanscom said. "I've
been a nurse--along with the rest of my experiences."

"If I need you I shall certainly call upon you, and if you need money
you must call upon me."

There was something warmer than friendship in her voice, but the ranger
was a timid man in any matter involving courtship, and he dared not
presume on anything so vague as the change of a tone or the quality of a
smile. Nevertheless he said:

"I cannot imagine how it happens that you are here in this rough
country, but I am glad you are. I shall be glad all my life--even if you
go away and forget me."

"I shall not forget you," she replied, "not for what you've done, but
for what you are." And in this declaration lay a profound significance
which the man seized and built upon.

"I am not even a forest ranger now. I am nothing but a dub--and
you--they say are rich--but some day I'm going to be something else. I
haven't any right--to ask anything of you--not a thing, but I must--I
can't think of you going entirely out of my life. I want you to let me
write to you. May I do that?"

Her answer was unexpected. "You once spoke of getting a transfer to a
forest near Denver. If you should do that, you might see me
occasionally--for I may make my home in Colorado Springs."

He stopped and they faced each other. "Does that mean that you _want_ me
to stay in the service?"

Her face was pale, but her eyes were glowing. "Yes."

His glance penetrated deeper. "And you will wait for me?"

"As long as you think it necessary," she answered, with a smile whose
meaning did not at once make itself felt, but when it did he reached his
hand as one man to another. She took it, smiling up at him in full
understanding of the promise she had made.

"Right here I make a new start," he said.

"I shall begin a new life also," she replied, and they walked on in
silence.

_AFTERWORD_

_Have you seen sunsets so beautiful that your heart ached to watch them
fade? So my heart aches to see the trails fading from the earth._

_As I re-enter the mountain forest I am a reactionary. I would restore
every hill-stream to its former beauty if I could. I would carry forward
every sign, every symbol, of the border in order that the children of
the future should not be deprived of any part of their nation's epic
westward march._

_I here make acknowledgment to the