tter collapse.

Little by little we gave up hope of reaching Verde that day. At four
o'clock we crossed the "divide," and clattered down a road so near the
edge of a precipice that I was frightened beyond everything: my senses
nearly left me. Down and around, this way and that, near the edge, then
back again, swaying, swerving, pitching, the gravel clattering over the
precipice, the six mules trotting their fastest, we reached the
bottom and the driver pulled up his team. "Beaver Springs!" said he,
impressively, loosening up the brakes.

As Jack lifted me out of the ambulance, I said: "Why didn't you tell
me?" pointing back to the steep road. "Oh," said he, "I thought it was
better for you not to know; people get scared about such things, when
they know about them before hand."

"But," I remarked, "such a break-neck pace!" Then, to the driver,
"Smith, how could you drive down that place at such a rate and frighten
me so?"

"Had to, ma'am, or we'd a'gone over the edge."

I had been brought up in a flat country down near the sea, and I did not
know the dangers of mountain travelling, nor the difficulties attending
the piloting of a six-mule team down a road like that. From this time
on, however, Smith rose in my estimation. I seemed also to be realizing
that the Southwest was a great country and that there was much to learn
about. Life out there was beginning to interest me.

Camp Verde lay sixteen miles farther on; no one knew if the road were
good or bad. I declared I could not travel another mile, even if
they all went on and left me to the wolves and the darkness of Beaver
Springs.

We looked to our provisions and took account of stock. There was not
enough for the two families. We had no flour and no bread; there was
only a small piece of bacon, six potatoes, some condensed milk, and some
chocolate. The Baileys decided to go on; for Mrs. Bailey was to meet her
sister at Verde and her parents at Whipple. We said good-bye, and their
ambulance rolled away. Our tent was pitched and the baby was laid on the
bed, asleep from pure exhaustion.

The dread darkness of night descended upon us, and the strange odors of
the bottom-lands arose, mingling with the delicious smoky smell of the
camp-fire.

By the light of the blazing mesquite wood, we now divided what
provisions we had, into two portions: one for supper, and one for
breakfast. A very light meal we had that evening, and I arose from the
mess-table unsatisfi