A section of the side of the great U, running clear back to a seam which had formed in the dam face, slowly broke out and went down. The water rose like a tide now, very rapidly, because the canyon itself, so narrow and so full of abrupt curves, made no adequate outlet for this augmented flood. The entire lower part of the camp was covered, and the flood, eddying back from the mountain wall, came creeping up toward the top of the grade, covering now this and now that portion of the settlement. One house after another was swept away before their eyes. Doctor Barnes stood looking out over it all moodily. He did not go back to Mary Gage. Back beyond a few of the soldiers were chattering idly, but no one paid attention to them, for not even they themselves knew that they were talking. But at length a voice, clear and distinct, did come to Doctor Barnes' ears. "Where is my husband!" cried Mary Gage, breaking away from Annie. "Which is he?" He turned to her silently. He shook his head. "I want to see him! I've got to see him. Who's that man?" She pointed. "That's Wid Gardner," said Doctor Barnes, slowly and gently as he could. "Those men yonder--those soldiers--is one of them my husband? You said he was a soldier." "Yes," said Doctor Barnes, "he was a soldier." Then she guessed at last. "He _was_ a soldier? Where is he _now_?" She turned upon him, laying her hands upon his arms. "Where is he now?" she demanded. But Doctor Barnes was looking at the foam-flecked surface of the water, eddying against the mountain side, crawling up and up. The little log house where Sim Gage's soul had passed was no more to be seen. It had gone. The house where the women had stopped was swept down but a short time later. Doctor Barnes could not speak the cruel truth. "Annie!" called out Mary Gage, sobbing openly, imploringly. "Tell me, won't I _ever_ see him? You said he was a good soldier." "One of the best," said Doctor Barnes at last. "Listen to me, please. Your husband died believing he had saved the dam. And so he had, so far as his work was concerned. It was he who discovered their work last night. He took care of two of them--it makes three for him. It was he that killed Big Aleck, up on the reserve, and avenged you, and never told you. He was shot--you heard the firing. He died before we came up here. I couldn't bring his body till you were cared for. Now it's too late. He's gone. Well, it's as good a way for a good man to go." "Blow 'Taps,'" he ordered of the bugler near by. It was done. And then, at his order, the rifles spoke in unison over a soldier's grave. "But I've never _seen_ him!" she said to him piteously, after the echoes of the salutes had passed. It was as though she was unable to comprehend. "No," said Allen Barnes. "But keep this picture of him--think that he died like a gentleman and a soldier. A good man, Sim Gage."