Somewhere in the night, the man who had saved Sibyl Andres and
Aaron King, each for the other, fled like a fearful, hunted thing.
* * * * *
At daybreak, Sibyl was up, preparing their breakfast But so quietly did
she move about her homely task that the artist did not awake. When the
meal was ready, she called him, and he sprang to his feet, declaring that
he felt himself a new man. Breakfast over, they set out at once.
When they came to the cliff at the head of the gulch, the girl halted and,
shrinking back, covered her face with trembling hands; afraid, for the
first time in her life, to set foot upon a mountain trail. Gently, her
companion led her across the ledge, and a little way back from the rim of
the gorge on the other side.
Five minutes later they heard a shout and saw Brian Oakley coming toward
them. Laughing and crying, Sibyl ran to meet him; and the mountaineer, who
had so many times looked death in the face, unafraid and unmoved, wept
like a child as he held the girl in his arms.
When Sibyl and Aaron had related briefly the events that led up to their
meeting with the Ranger, and he in turn had told them how he had followed
the track of the automobile and, finding the hidden supplies, had followed
the trail of James Rutlidge from that point, the officer asked the girl
several questions.
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