Carley was awakened by rattling sounds in her room. The raising of

sleepy eyelids disclosed Flo on her knees before the little stove, in

the act of lighting a fire.

"Mawnin', Carley," she drawled. "It's shore cold. Reckon it'll snow

today, worse luck, just because you're here. Take my hunch and stay in

bed till the fire burns up."

"I shall do no such thing," declared Carley, heroically.

"We're afraid you'll take cold," said Flo. "This is desert country with

high altitude. Spring is here when the sun shines. But it's only shinin'

in streaks these days. That means winter, really. Please be good."

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"Well, it doesn't require much self-denial to stay here awhile longer,"

replied Carley, lazily.

Flo left with a parting admonition not to let the stove get red-hot. And

Carley lay snuggled in the warm blankets, dreading the ordeal of getting

out into that cold bare room. Her nose was cold. When her nose grew

cold, it being a faithful barometer as to temperature, Carley knew there

was frost in the air. She preferred summer. Steam-heated rooms with

hothouse flowers lending their perfume had certainly not trained Carley

for primitive conditions. She had a spirit, however, that was waxing

a little rebellious to all this intimation as to her susceptibility to

colds and her probable weakness under privation. Carley got up. Her

bare feet landed upon the board floor instead of the Navajo rug, and

she thought she had encountered cold stone. Stove and hot water

notwithstanding, by the time she was half dressed she was also half

frozen. "Some actor fellow once said w-when you w-went West you were

c-camping out," chattered Carley. "Believe me, he said something."

The fact was Carley had never camped out. Her set played golf, rode

horseback, motored and house-boated, but they had never gone in for

uncomfortable trips. The camps and hotels in the Adirondacks were as

warm and luxurious as Carley's own home. Carley now missed many things.

And assuredly her flesh was weak. It cost her effort of will and real

pain to finish lacing her boots. As she had made an engagement with

Glenn to visit his cabin, she had donned an outdoor suit. She wondered

if the cold had anything to do with the perceptible diminishing of the

sound of the waterfall. Perhaps some of the water had frozen, like her

fingers.

Carley went downstairs to the living room, and made no effort to resist

a rush to the open fire. Flo and her mother were amused at Carley's

impetuosity. "You'll like that stingin' of the air after you get used

to it," said Mrs. Hutter. Carley had her doubts. When she was thoroughly

thawed out she discovered an appetite quite unusual for her, and she

enjoyed her breakfast. Then it was time to sally forth to meet Glenn.




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