Deering looked up. "We'll know soon. I hear steps."

Stannard came round the corner, saw Deering, and stopped, rather

quickly.

"Hello! We did not expect you. Were you at the hotel? Have you got some

news?"

"I was at the hotel," Deering replied. "The morning before I got there a

police sergeant arrived. I understand he was curious about your

excursion."

Stannard's glance was keen and Deering thought him disturbed.

"You imply the fellow knew I'd gone to join Jimmy?"

"Miss Laura imagined something like that. But what about the glacier?"

Stannard hesitated and knitted his brows. "I think we'll risk it in the

morning. You see, if we pushed along the range, we might meet the

police. Besides, we must get down to the timber soon."

"You sure can't get down," remarked Gillane, the packer, who had

followed Stannard.

"We'll try," said Stannard, and turning to the others, forced a smile.

"Well, I want some food and Frank might light the spirit lamp. You must

brace up for another night on the mountain, but we're lucky because we

have got a corner where we shan't freeze."

Northwest! · 第 71 / 81 题