I was a little sorry for the girl," he said.

"Met her once or twice in Vancouver, and she didn't seem well off." Alton said nothing, but he pressed his heels home, and the big tired horse moved forward.

The trail was narrow just there, and wound through a quaggy belt where tall wild cabbage grew out of black depths of mire.

There was also no room for Hallam to wheel his horse on the slippery sawn-up logs, and Alton urged his beast on, glancing imperturbably at the man in front of him.
Again the grey crept into Hallam's face, and a very unpleasant look in his eyes, but he drew his bridle, and next moment his horse was floundering in the mire.

Alton laughed a little as he rode on without glancing behind him.
"That may have been pleasant," said Seaforth dryly, "but in view of what I saw in Hallam's face I don't know that it was wise." "Well," said Alton, "I think it was.