"Doubtful. But you must be a good climber to do it at all."
She was delighted, but said: "Ought we not to be off?"
"Are you rested enough?"
"I'm all right. And that poor girl does so want you."
"Try this way."
He turned to a different path, shorter and steeper than that by which they had come. It meant a descent which Doris could not have tackled alone, with nailless shoes. He went first; and two or three times his hand caught hers; yet most of it she did unaided; and again he spoke in praise of her sure-footedness.
"Climbing always seems to come naturally to me," she said. "If only, only, some day I could go up a real mountain! I want that desperately— I can't tell you how much! And I don't see the very least chance of such a thing. Oh dear,—I wish with all my heart there were."
"Perhaps something might be arranged while you are here. We must see. I'll think about it."
Her deep-set eyes sent him a swift grateful glance, which stirred his blood. She was a pretty girl.
"Oh, it would be most frightfully nice!" was all she said.