He looked at her face. There was less droop to the corners of her mouth than he ever had seen. There was a certain light that came to her features which he had not yet recognized. She drew a long breath and sighed as she dropped her hands into her lap. "Do you suppose we could get another one?" said she. He laughed exultantly. "I should say we could! Just sit still where you are, and we'll load up again." As a matter of fact the grayling were rising freely, and in a moment or so he had fastened another which he added to the one in the basket. This one she insisted that he land alone, so that he might have all the sport. And thus, he generously sharing with her, they placed six of the splendid fish in the basket, and he declared they had enough for the time. "Come," said he, "we'll go back now." She reached out a hand. "I want to carry the fish," said she. "Let me, please. I want to do something." He passed the basket strap over her shoulder for her, Tim following on behind, panting, as guardian of the spoils. "You're a good sport," said Major Barnes. "One of the best I ever saw, and I saw a lot of them over there." She was stumbling forward through the sage as best she might, tripping here and there, sweeping her skirts now and again from the ragged branches which caught against them. He took her hand in his to lead her. It lay light and warm in his own--astonishingly light and warm, as suddenly he realized. She had pushed the sunbonnet back from her forehead as she would have done had she been desirous of seeing better. He noted the color of her cheeks, the regularity of her features, the evenness of her dark brows, the wholly pleasing contour of her figure, as she stumbled bravely along at his side. "You're fine!" he repeated, suddenly. "You're fine! I expect to see you live to bless the day you came here. I expect to hear you say yet that you're _glad_ you're alive--not alive just because it was your duty to live. Don't talk to me any more about duty." He was striding along excitedly. "Not too fast!" she panted, holding fast to his hand. And so they came presently to the cabin door again, and saw Sim Gage perched high on a load of logs, coming down the lane. "I'm going to put the new cabin for the men right over there," said Doctor Barnes. "And when Annie Squires comes--why, we're going to have the grandest little ranch here you ever saw. And, of course, I can telephone up every once in a while." "Telephone?" said she vaguely. "Then you won't be coming up yourself?" CHAPTER XXIII THE OUTLOOK Doctor Barnes was making ready to depart when Sim Gage came in at the gate with his load of logs. They exchanged greetings, Sim regarding his visitor rather closely. "We've just got back from fishing," said Doctor Barnes. "Yes, I seen you both, down in the medders." "We had one grand time, brother. Look here." He opened the lid of his basket.