Then, as she paused to listen, she was sure that she heard an answering cry, though it seemed faint and far. Breaking through a dense growth of dwarf pines, to her great joy she saw, in a circle of light from the lantern a short distance above her, the erect form of a boy, which proved to her that at least her brother was unhurt. But as she hastened forward, she saw him lean over something that looked like a log. The girl knew that it must be the figure of a man. “Oh, Ken,” she cried as soon as she was near enough to be heard, “who is it out in all this blizzard?”
“It’s Mr. Edrington. He ’twas that was hallooing when I first heard a call. He had to leave camp, for his shelter blew away, and he couldn’t make a fire, for the matches were all wet. He tried to find the easy trail down the mountain, but the snow had covered it. He missed the way and fell right over the cliff. He’s got grit all right, Mr. Edrington has! He sort of dragged himself here. When I came, though, he’d petered all out, but he told me that much before he—he—”
The girl had knelt on the snow, and was listening to the man’s heart. “It’s only a faint he’s in,” she said, looking up at the lad. “If we rub his face and hands with snow, perhaps it will help him to come to.”
“Dix, you’re a brick!” the boy exclaimed admiringly. Then hopefully they did as the girl had suggested, watching anxiously the pale face upon which the light of the lantern shone. The wind had subsided, as it did periodically, and there was a strange silence under the pine trees. Too, the moon appeared through a rift in the clouds, making a beautiful picture of the wide, glistening cañon, while near by, the pine branches bent low under the weight of gleaming snow.
The young engineer slowly opened his eyes.
To the great relief of the boy and girl the young engineer slowly opened his eyes; then he looked about with a puzzled expression. Seeing Ken, he smiled. “I say, where am I, old man?” he asked. Turning, he saw Dixie, and he sat up as though startled.
“It’s only my sister, Mr. Edrington,” Ken explained. “She’s grown a lot since you saw her last.”
“Of course,” the young man laughed as he took the girl’s hand. “I must have been dreaming. I thought you were Marlita Arden. Oh, I remember now. I fell over the cliff, didn’t I? Wonder if any bones are broken. Give a lift, Ken, and I’ll soon find out.”
With the aid of the strong boy and girl, the stalwart young man stood on his feet, and was indeed pleased to find that he could walk without pain.