eks
of the prairies.

The range, toward which the head of the train was pointing, now
came nearer. The boys saw its slopes, shaggy with dark pine, and
they knew that beyond it lay other and higher slopes, also dark
with pine. The air was of a wonderful clearness, showing in the
east and beyond the zenith a clear silver tint, while the west
was pure red gold with the setting sun.

Nearer and nearer came the range. The great pines blurred at
first into an unbroken mass, now stood out singly, showing their
giant stems. Afar a flash of foamy white appeared, where a brook
fell in a foamy cascade. Presently they were within a quarter of
a mile of the range, and its shadow fell over the train. In the
west the sun was low.

"The pass is there, straight ahead," said Bright Sun, pointing to
the steep range.

"I don't see any opening," said Conway.

"It is so narrow and the pines hide it," rejoined Bright Sun,
"but it is smooth and easy."

Albert was at the rear of the train. He had chosen to walk in
the later hours of the afternoon. He had become very tired, but,
unwilling to confess it even to himself, he did not resume his
place in the wagon. His weariness made him lag behind.

Albert was deeply sensitive to the impressions of time and
place. The twilight seemed to him to fall suddenly like a great
black robe. The pines once more blurred into a dark, unbroken
mass. The low sun in the west dipped behind the hills, and the
rays of red and gold that it left were chill and cold.

"Your brother wishes to see you. He is at the foot of the creek
that we crossed fifteen minutes ago."

It was Bright Sun who spoke.

"Dick wants to see me at the crossing of the creek! Why, I
thought he was ahead of me with the train!" exclaimed Albert.

"No, he is waiting for you. He said that it was important,"
repeated Bright Sun.

Albert turned in the darkening twilight and went back on the
trail of the train toward the crossing of the creek. Bright Sun
went to the head of the train, and saw Dick walking there alone
and looking at the hills.

"Your brother is behind at the creek," said Bright Sun. "He is
ill and wishes you. Hurry! I think it is important!"

"Albert at the creek, ill?" exclaimed Dick in surprise and
alarm. "Why, I thought he was here with the train!"

But Bright Sun had gone on ahead. Dick turned back hastily, and
ran along the trail through the twilight that was now fast
merging into the nigh