Those are government sections. I suppose, of course, your
firm has permits from Washington to build said improvements?"
"Naturally," said Bob, who, however, knew nothing whatever of those
details.
"Well, I'll send a man up to examine them to-morrow," said Plant, and
turned his back.
V
Bob took supper at Auntie Belle's, and rode up the mountain after dark.
He did not attempt short cuts, but allowed his horse to follow the plain
grade of the road. After a time the moon crept over the zenith, and at
once the forest took on a fairylike strangeness, as though at the touch
of night new worlds had taken the place of the vanished old. Somewhere
near midnight, his body shivering with the mountain cold, his legs stiff
and chafed from the long, unaccustomed riding, but his mind filled with
the wonder and beauty of the mountain night, Bob drew rein beside the
corrals. After turning in his horse, he walked through the bright
moonlight to Welton's door, on which he hammered.
"Hey!" called the lumberman from within.
"It's I, Bob."
Welton scratched a match.
"Why in blazes didn't you come up in the morning?" he inquired.
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