"Come, Clarence, let us follow this little stream up to its head. It cannot be far away," said Corona. Mr. Clarence silently drew her arm within his, and they walked on up the little valley until it narrowed into a gorge, clothed with stunted trees in brilliant autumn hues, through which the gray rocks jutted. The tinkling of the spring which supplied the stream could be heard while it was yet out of sight. "Did you bring your drinking cup with you, Clarence? I should like a draught from the spring," said Corona. "Oh, yes," said her uncle, producing the silver cup. They clambered up the side of the gorge until they reached the spring--a great jet of water issuing from the rock. But there both stopped short, spellbound, in amazement. On a ledge of rock above the spring, and facing them, stood a majestic man, clothed in coat of buckskin, faced and bordered with fur, leggings of buckskin and sandals of buffalo hide. On his head he wore a fur cap that half concealed his tawny hair. The face was fine, but sunburnt and half covered with a long, tawny beard. Corona looked up, and recognized--Regulas Rothsay! With a cry of terror, she struck her hands to her eyes, as if to dispel an optical illusion, and sank half fainting, to be caught in the arms of her uncle and laid against the side of the rocks, while he sprinkled her face with water from the spring. She recovered her breath, opened her eyes, and looked anxiously, fearfully, all around her. There was no one in sight anywhere. The apparition had vanished. Corona and her uncle were alone. CHAPTER XXXVI. THE MEETING ON THE MOUNT. "What is this? Am I mad? Have I seen a spirit? Oh, Clarence, what is it?" cried Corona, in a tumult of emotion in which her life seemed throbbing away as she clung to her uncle for support. "Try to compose yourself, dear Cora," he answered, as he gently laid her down on the mossy rocks, and went and brought her water from the spring in his pocket cup. She raised herself and drank it at his request, and then staring wildly at him, repeated her questions: "Oh, what was it? Who was here just now? Or was it--or was it--was it--delusion?" "For Heaven's sake, Cora, calm yourself. It was Regulas Rothsay who stood here a moment ago." "Rule himself, and no delusion! But, oh! I knew it! I knew it all the time!" she exclaimed, still trembling violently. "My darling Cora, try--" "Where did he go? Where?" she cried, staggering to her feet and clinging to her uncle. "Where? Oh, take me to him!" "Do you see that log cabin on the plateau above us, Cora, to the right?" he said, pointing in the direction of which he spoke. Her eyes followed his index, and she saw a cottage of rough-hewn logs standing against the rocky steep at the back of the broad ledge above them. "What do you mean? Is he up there? Is he up there?" she breathlessly demanded.