“My boy, you will reach the mountain.”

The next day a man of the country joined them.  He was dressed in a suit and hat of deerskin.  On his feet were sandals.  Across one shoulder he carried a stick from which dangled a bundle.  His quick, springy stride carried him easily beside the cavalcade.

“The blessing of God be upon your Mercies,” was his greeting.  “Whence do you come and whither do you go?  Tell him who so rudely asks, I beg you.  I am John, the Courier.”

Ann and the Reverend Orme looked vaguely at each other.  They had no answer.  But Shenton spoke.

“Friend,” he said, “we come from the South.  We journey to yonder mountain.  What is it called?

“It is called the Sorcerer.”

“The Sorcerer?” cried Shenton.  “That is a strange-name.”

“It is called the Sorcerer,” said the man, “because it deceives.  It is a landmark in the wilderness, but it shows no man the way.  So equal are its sides, that it points neither east nor west nor south nor north.  Upon, its summit is a single tree, planted by no human hands.”

“I see the tree,” said Shenton.  “Mother, do you see the tree?  It is like the steeple on a church.”  Then he turned to the courier.  “Friend, the mountain points upward.”

They camped at the foot of the mountain, for fever had laid its final grip upon Shenton.  He was too weak to stand the jolting of the wagon.  One night, while lying in his mother’s arms, he slipped away from life.

Leighton looked upon his boy’s face, still alight with content at having reached the mountain, upon his white, blue-veined body, so pitifully frail, and marveled that a frame so weak, so tender, so peaceful, had been only now a mighty battle-field.

He gathered up the body in his arms, and calling roughly to Lewis to bring an ax, he started up the barren mountainside.

Ann, dumb and tearless, stood before the tent, and watched him with unseeing eyes.  Natalie, crying, clutched her skirt.  At her feet sat mammy, her face upturned, tears flowing, her body swaying to her sobs.

Up and up climbed Leighton with Lewis panting behind him.  They reached the towering summit of the mountain.

A great rock stood at the foot of the lonely tree.  Beneath it Leighton dug with ax and hands.  He tore branches from the tree and spread them within.  Upon the fresh, green couch he laid the body of his boy.  He fell upon his knees before it and tried to pray, but could not.

“O, Death,” he groaned, “to this young soul hast thou been kind.”  Then with many stones they closed the tomb.

Leighton looked wistfully about him.  He was seized by the primitive desire of man to leave some visible sign of overwhelming grief.  His eyes rose above the rock to the lonely tree.  Grasping the ax, he climbed the tree.  High above the mountain-top he cut its stem.  Then limb after limb fell crashing to the earth until only two were left.  Out one and then the other he clambered and cut them off.  The lonely tree was no more; in its place stood a mighty cross.