"It is possible that they may be unable to do it in one day," went on Genevieve apprehensively--"Down, down into those dreadful depths, and then along the river, all the way to where the tunnel is to be, and back again, and then up the awful cliffs! Surely they cannot finish in one day! Of course they will succeed--Tom can do anything, _anything_! Yet how I dread the very thought--!" "We must prepare to stay right here on High Mesa until they do finish!" declared Isobel. "It will be impossible to go back to the ranch tomorrow if they are still in that frightful place! Kid will have to take the hawsses down to the waterhole. He shall go on home, and tomorrow morning fetch us cream and eggs and everything you need. They will have to be told at the ranch; and if Daddy has returned, he will come up to help and be with us." "You dear girl! The more I think of this terrible descent, the more I dread it. I feel a presentiment that--But I must try to be brave and not interfere with Tom's work! It will be a great comfort to have your father with us." "Daddy will surely come if he has returned. Isn't he kind and good? He couldn't have done more to make me happy if he had been my own real father!" Genevieve smiled into the girl's glowing face. "Yes, dear. Yet I am far from surprised, since _you_ are the daughter he wished to make happy. I was more surprised to have him tell me you were adopted. You have never said a word about it." "I--you see, I did not happen to," confusedly murmured the girl. "Chuckie Knowles is not your real name," Genevieve gently reproached her. "No, it is the pet name Daddy gave me. My real one is--Isobel." "Isobel--?" "Yes. Daddy's sister, in Denver, always calls me that. But here on the ranch--" "Isobel--?" repeated Genevieve, with a rising inflection. The color ebbed from the girl's face, but she answered steadily: "Chuckie--Isobel--Knowles. I am Daddy's daughter. I have no other father." "Is-o-bel--Is-o-bel," Genevieve intoned the name musically. "It has a beautiful sound. I had a friend at school--Isabella--but we always called her Belle." The girl suddenly faced away from her companion, and darted to meet Blake and Ashton, who were bringing the line of levels up over the ridge. CHAPTER XXIII THE TEMPTATION When the ladies explained their plans for remaining in camp on High Mesa, Blake gave a ready assent. "All right, Jenny. It'll be something like old times. Can't scare you up any lions or fever, leopards or cyclones; but you may see that wolf." "I should welcome all savage Africa if it would rid us of this awful canyon!" replied his wife. "Won't you please give it up?" begged Isobel. "I am to blame for your coming here. If anything should happen to you, I--I could never forgive myself--never!"