noon
She seemed possessed of some miraculous staff , for she mounted the steep trail as lightly as a fawn . Clement was in an agony of apprehension lest she should overdo and fall fainting in the path . This ecstasy of activity was most dangerously persistent . It was past noon when they came out of the aspens and pines into the little smooth slope of meadow which lay between the low peaks which were already crusted with snow . In the midst of the orange and purple and red of the grasses lay a deep , dark pool of water -- as beautiful as her eyes , it seemed to him . `` Here is the spring , '' Clement called to the girl . `` I knew it , '' she said .