they were turned
loose. The stream gushed from the mountain side, and, flowing across
the trail, was lost among the rocks to the left. The moisture thus
diffused produced a moderate growth of tough, coarse grass, which the
animals began plucking as soon as the bits were removed from their
mouths. They secured little nutriment, but as the guide remarked, it
was an improvement upon nothing. The men bathed their faces in the
cold, clear water, took a refreshing draught, and then ate the lunch
provided for them by the thoughtful Adams. Though they ate heartily,
sufficient was kept to answer for another meal or two, if it should be
thought wise to put themselves on an allowance.

They had just lighted their pipes, when Wade Ruggles uttered an
exclamation. Without explaining the cause, he bounded to his feet and
ran several rods to the westward, where he was seen to stoop and pick
something from the ground. He examined it closely and then, as he
turned about and came back more slowly it was perceived that he held a
white handkerchief in his hand. His action caused the others to rise
to his feet.

"What have you there?" asked Captain Dawson, suspecting its identity.

"I guess you have seen it before," replied Wade, handing the piece of
fine, bordered linen to him. He turned it over with strange emotions,
for he was quick to recognize it.

"Yes," he said, compressing his lips; "it is hers; she dropped it
there--how long ago, Vose?"

The latter examined the handkerchief, as if looking for the answer to
the question in its folds, but shook his head.

"Even a mountain Injin could not tell that."

The parson asked the privilege of examining the article. His heart was
beating fast, though no one else was aware of it, for it was a present
which he had made to Nellie Dawson on the preceding Christmas, having
been brought by Vose Adams, with other articles, on his trip made
several months before the presentation. There was the girl's name,
written by himself in indelible ink, and in his neat, round hand. It
was a bitter reflection that it had been in her possession, when she
was in the company of the one whom she esteemed above all others.

"It may have been," reflected the parson, carefully keeping his
thoughts to himself, "that, when she remembered from whom it came, she
flung it aside to please him. Captain," he added, "since this was once
mine, I presume you have no objection to my keeping it."

"You are welcome to it; I