The events of their previous meeting came back to him vividly, almost bitterly. He felt that he must ask her certain questions, and that she must answer them. Yet, now that they had met once more, he hesitated. She was weakened by her afternoon’s adventure. It would be better, he resolved, to wait for a more desirable opportunity. Or possibly she might explain matters herself. “Isn’t this--your ‘coyote’?” she asked suddenly, looking around. “Yes. I was just making a final examination of the wires. It is to go off at eight o’clock.” “To-night?” He nodded. She shrank back, as if death itself lurked in the yawning tunnel mouth. “Oh, there’s no danger now,” he replied, laughing. “It is only a few minutes after six. Why, I was just about to go inside to inspect the big chamber. This is my first coyote on the Los Angeles aqueduct, and I can’t afford to take any chances of a failure.” “Aren’t you afraid?” she asked. “Of what? The dynamite can’t go off unless the batteries are attached to the wires and the button pressed. Besides, the greater part of the stuff is buried under six feet of solid concrete.” She sank to a pile of rocks, and pulled back her sleeve. There was blood on her white arm. “It’s been hurting dreadfully,” she said, disclosing a ragged wound, caused, she admitted, by a stumble. “That’s why I’ve been so faint.” “Why didn’t you let me know at first?” Nash broke in quickly. “Wait. I’ll fix it in a jiffy.” He hurried down the slope to where a little spring bubbled out from its mossy bed. In the crystal, snow-fed waters he dipped his handkerchief, wrung it out, and returned. “Now just let me tie this around that cut, Miss Breen. This mountain water has wonderful healing properties.” He accomplished his task while the girl watched him in silence. “There,” he said, drawing down her sleeve. “Isn’t that better?” “Oh, a great deal,” she answered. “Well, suppose you excuse me for ten or fifteen minutes, while I take a farewell trip into the tunnel. You can rest here, and----” “Why can’t I go with you?” she interrupted. “Do you really want to go?” He looked down into her face with a surprised frown. “It isn’t very clean--and it is very damp and cold. Besides, you’ll have to crawl on your hands and knees for a hundred yards.” His warning did not appear to frighten her. “Oh, I don’t care about that,” she declared eagerly. “And I would like to see just how the thing is arranged.” “Very well,” he agreed. “I’ve some candles in my pocket. I’ll light one, and you follow close behind me. All ready?” “All ready,” she repeated, her eyes sparkling at the thought of the adventure. He lighted a candle and started in the drift. She came right behind him without the least hesitation. The tunnel was damp, and at places they were forced to crawl through pools of water. Still, she did not complain. “Nervy little woman, all right,” Nash muttered to himself.