first twenty-four hours of grief over the parting with Diana, Enoch began to recover his mental poise.  He was able to crowd back some of his sorrow and to begin to contemplate his whole adventure.  Nor could he contemplate it without beginning to exult, and little by little his spirits lifted and even the tragedy of giving up Diana became a sacred and a beautiful thing.  His grief became a righteous part of his life, a thing he would not give up any more than he would have given up a joy.

Undoubtedly Jonas enjoyed this trip more than any railway journey of his experience.  Certainly he was a marked man.  He wore the broadest brimmed hat in Frank Allen’s collection, and John Red Sun’s high laced boots.  Strapped to his suitcase were the Ida’s broken paddle and the battered board with “a-che” on it.  These stood conspicuously in his seat in the Pullman, where he held a daily reception to all the porters on the train.  True to his orders, he never mentioned Enoch’s name in connection with his tale of the Canyon, but his own adventures lost nothing by that.

Enoch did not wire the exact time of his arrival in Washington, as he wished no one to meet the train.  It was not quite three o’clock of a cold December day when Charley Abbott, arranging the papers in Enoch’s private office, looked up as the inner door opened.  Enoch, tanned and vigorous, came in, followed by Jonas, in all his western glory.

Charley sprang forward to meet Enoch’s extended hand.  “Mr. Huntingdon!  Thank the Lord!”

“All set, Abbott!” exclaimed Enoch, “and ready to steam ahead.  Let me introduce old Canyon Bill, formerly known as Jonas!”

Charley clasped Jonas’ hand, burst out laughing, and slapped him on the back.  “Some story goes with that outfit, eh, Jonas, old boy!  Say! if you let the rest of the doormen and messengers see you, there won’t be a stroke of work done for the rest of the day.”

“I’m going to look Harry up, right now, if you don’t need me, boss!” exclaimed Jonas.

“Take the rest of the day, Jonas!”

“No, I’ll be back prompt at six, boss!” and Jonas, with his luggage, disappeared.

Enoch pulled off his overcoat and seated himself at the desk, then looked up at Charley with a smile.

“I had a great trip, Abbott.  I went with a mining outfit up to the Canyon country.  With Miss Allen’s help, Jonas located me at the placer mine, and after several adventures, we came back with her to El Tovar, where I wired you.”

Abbott looked at Enoch keenly.  “You’re a new man, Mr. Secretary.”

Enoch nodded.  “I’m in good trim.  What happens first, Abbott?”

“I didn’t know what time you’d be in to-day, so your appointments don’t begin until to-morrow.  But the President wants you to call him at your earliest convenience.  Shall I get in touch with the White House?”

“If you please.  In the meantime, I may as well begin to go through these letters.”