The girl lay barely visible in the dimness.
Ring crouched beside her, and the patting of his tail on the stone assured Venters that the dog was awake and faithful to his duty.

Venters sought his own bed of fragrant boughs; and as he lay back, somehow grateful for the comfort and safety, the night seemed to steal away from him and he sank softly into intangible space and rest and slumber.
Venters awakened to the sound of melody that he imagined was only the haunting echo of dream music.

He opened his eyes to another surprise of this valley of beautiful surprises.

Out of his cave he saw the exquisitely fine foliage of the silver spruces crossing a round space of blue morning sky; and in this lacy leafage fluttered a number of gray birds with black and white stripes and long tails.

They were mocking-birds, and they were singing as if they wanted to burst their throats.