it for perhaps ten minutes, and was beginning to think that it was time
she came in sight of the larger trail from Long Lake to Deer Mountain,
she heard someone coming toward her, and, rounding a bend, came into
sight of Lolla.

The gypsy girl seemed overwhelmed with joy at the sight of Bessie.

"Oh, how glad I am!" she exclaimed. "I was afraid that Peter had caught
you and tied you up with your friend, and that you would think I had
sent you up there so that he would trap you! How did you escape?"

"I climbed down the rocks," said Bessie simply, and smiled at Lolla's
gasp of astonishment.

"_You_ climbed down the rocks!" cried the gypsy. "However did you do
that? There ain't many men--not even many of our men--would try that, I
can tell you. I thought perhaps you would try to do that, and I was
coming around this way to get to the foot of the rocks and see if I
could find out what had become of you."

"You know where we are and how to get back, then?" asked Bessie.

"Of course I do. I know all these woods." Lolla laughed. "I have set
traps for partridges and rabbits here many and many a time, but the
guides never saw me. You knew where you were going, didn't you? If you'd
kept on as you were going when you met me you would have come to the
main trail in a minute or two, and then, if you'd turned to the right,
and kept straight on, you'd have come to Long Lake, where you started
from."