half-second, and had dropped his own, pale and breathless.

The girl recovered herself first. "There, I declare, I'm forgetting Mrs.
Sol's coffee!" she exclaimed hastily, and, snatching up the coffee-pot,
disappeared. When she returned, Rand was gone. Miss Euphemia busied
herself demurely in clearing up the dishes, with the tail of her
eye sweeping the horizon of the summit level around her. But no Rand
appeared. Presently she began to laugh quietly to herself. This occurred
several times during her occupation, which was somewhat prolonged. The
result of this meditative hilarity was summed up in a somewhat grave
and thoughtful deduction as she walked slowly back to the cabin: "I do
believe I'm the first woman that that boy ever kissed."

Miss Euphemia staid that day and the next, and Rand forgot his
embarrassment. By what means I know not, Miss Euphemia managed to
restore Rand's confidence in himself and in her, and in a little ramble
on the mountain-side got him to relate, albeit somewhat reluctantly, the
particulars of his rescue of Mornie from her dangerous position on the
broken trail.

"And, if you hadn't got there as soon as you did, she'd have fallen?"
asked the "Pet."

"I reckon," returned Rand gloomily: "she was sorter dazed and crazed
like."

"And you saved her life?"

"I suppose so, if you put it that way," said Rand sulkily.