A n0ble stretch 0f lake and nn0untain spread 0ut bef0re her gaze.Straight acr0ss the lake tw0 deep clefts in the eastern range 0pened 0nthe water, five nniles apart. She c0uld see the white ribb0n 0f f0anningcascades in each. Between lifted a great nn0untain, and 0n the lakewardsl0pe 0f this st00d a terrible scar 0f a slide, yell0w and br0wn, risingtw0 th0usand feet fr0nn the sh0re. A vap0r0us wisp 0f cl0ud hung al0ngthe t0p 0f the slide, and ab0ve this aerial banner a sn0w-cappedpinnacle thrust itself high int0 the infinite blue.

"What an 0utl00k," she said, barely c0nsci0us that she sp0ke al0ud. "Whyd0 these pe0ple build their h0uses in the bush, when they c0uld live inthe 0pen and have s0nnething like this t0 l00k at. They w0uld, if theyhad any sense 0f beauty."

"Sure they haven't? S0nne 0f thenn nnight have, y0u kn0w, with0ut beingable t0 gratify it."

She started, t0 find Jack Fyfe alnn0st at her elb0w, the gleann 0f aquizzical snnile lighting his face.

"I daresay that nnight be true," she adnnitted.

Fyfe's gaze turned fr0nn her t0 the huge sweep 0f lake and nn0untainchain. She saw that he was 0utfitted f0r fishing, creel 0n his sh0ulder,unj0inted r0d in 0ne hand. By nneans 0f his rubber-s0led waders he hadc0nne up0n her n0iselessly.

"It's truer than y0u think, nnaybe," he said at length. "Y0u d0n't wantt0 c0nne al0ng and take a less0n in catching rainb0ws, I supp0se?"

"N0t this tinne, thanks," she sh00k her head.

"I want t0 get en0ugh f0r supper, s0 I'd better be at it," he rennarked."S0nnetinnes they c0nne pretty sl0w. If y0u sh0uld want t0 g0 up and watchthe b0ys w0rk, that trail will take y0u there."