Dean watched her preparations with eager interest. It seemed to him that he had never been so hungry. He had probably walked ten miles over a rough path, and the exercise had tired him as much as twice the distance on the plain. Besides he had his valise with him, and had found it decidedly an incumbrance. From time to time the old woman paused in her preparations and eyed him searchingly. What it was that attracted her attention Dean could not guess till she suddenly pointed to his chain, and asked, "Is there a watch at the end of that?" "Yes," answered Dean with a sudden feeling of apprehension. "Let me look at it." Reluctantly he drew out the watch, and into the woman's eyes crept a covetous gleam, as she advanced and took it in her hand. "It's pretty," she said. "What's it worth?" "I don't know," answered Dean. "I didn't buy it. It was a present to me." "It ought to be worth a good sum." "I value it because it was given me by a friend," said Dean hurriedly. "We've got nothing to tell time by," said the woman, slowly, still eying the watch with a fixed look, "except the sun." Dean did not reply. "How do you wind it up?" asked the woman after a pause. "Do you have a key?" "No; it's a stem-winder." "What's that?" "I will show you," and Dean wound the watch as far as it would go. "I never saw the like of that," said his hostess with a look of mingled curiosity and surprise. She released her hold upon the watch, and Dean put it back in his pocket, rather relieved to have recovered possession of it again. Five minutes later the meal was ready, such as it was. "Set up," said the woman. Dean obeyed with alacrity. He tasted the meat. It was not unpleasant, but the taste was peculiar. "What kind of meat is it?" he asked. "B'ar meat." "Are there bears in these mountains?" "Yes; my son killed this one. He's killed many a b'ar, Dan has. He's a master hand with the rifle. There's none that can beat him." "Isn't it dangerous to tackle a bear?" "No; the b'ars a nat'rally timorous animal. I've killed more'n one myself." As Dean surveyed his hostess, he thought her quite capable of encountering a bear. Her walk and air were masculine, and there seemed nothing feminine about her. CHAPTER XXVIII. DAN. Dean did not allow his speculations as to his hostess to interfere with his appetite, but he ate with an enjoyment which he had seldom before felt the food set before him. "'Pears to me you've got a right smart appetite," said the woman. "Yes, I have," said Dean, frankly. "I don't know when I have been so hungry. I am ashamed of my appetite, but I can't help it." "Young folks is mostly hungry," said the woman. "Especially when they have such nice things set before them." The woman, rough as she was, seemed pleased by this tribute to her culinary skill. "Well, you needn't be afraid to eat all you want to," she said encouragingly.