In a Hollow of the Hills

s, he did not, nor did he afterwards revisit the locality. Neither the news of the registry of the claim nor the arrival of Key's workmen ever reached him. The few travelers

r those who came to him from the valley were rude Western emigrants like himself) remained undisturbed. The return of the prospecting party to his humble hospitality that night had been an exceptional case; in his characteristic simplicity he did not dream that it was be

was amused, albeit, in his new importance, a little aggrieved also, to find that Collinson had as usual confounded his descent with tha

nd he's picked up that much that he's lookin' fat and sassy," he said quietly, beginning to mechanicall

ment, and fortune to Key; and yet this place and this man were as stupidly unchanged as when he had left them. A momentary fancy that thi

e to Skinner to send for the hoss, and forward hi

hness of the ore until he had reached Marysville. But he found some difficulty in recounting his good fortune: he was naturally no boaster, he had no desire to impress Collinson with his penetration, nor the undaunted energy he had displayed in getting up his company and opening the mine,

ther Parker feller ain't go

d went off our own ways. You don't suppose," he added with a forced half-laugh, "that i

y?" asked Col

aturally, but presently added, with an unea

said Collin

the fire, with glasses in their hands, Co

you went yours. But your way was back on

ly, "Yes, but I only went back to the hollow to satisfy myself if there really was

use there," said Co

"my going back there was an accident, and my picking up the outcrop was an accident, and had no more to do with our partnership prospecting than you had. In fact," he said, with a reassuring laugh, "you'd have had a better right to share in my claim, coming there as you did at that mo

wouldn'

said Key ha

t he said, "'Cos I wouldn't hev

elieved him. He was wise in not admitting him to his confidences

ouched, nor I dare say even imagined by mortal man before. However, there is something el

es

joked me about it-well, perhaps I didn't care that you should laugh at me too, but I've had a sore conscience over my lie, for I remembered that you seemed to have some interest in the matter too, and I thought that maybe I might have thrown you off the scent. It seemed to me that if you had any idea who it was, we might now talk the matter o

ou got

them from the pocket

ut looking at the two of 'em the likeness is more fetchin'. Ye see, my wife had a STRAIGHT foot, and never wore reg'lar rights a

r women as peculia

e," said Coll

Dick's scandal, it had occurred to him that the unknown tenant of the robbers' den might b

urry too, for she had not time to change her slippers for shoes; she escaped on horseback, for that is how she

uld have looked in a slipper that you said was GIV to ye," suggested

id Key im

ly, "but that ain't California road-agent style. Great Scott! if one even so much as spoke to a wom

ravity: "I see wot's troublin' YOU, Mr. Key; you've bin thinkin' that mebbee that poor woman might hev bin the better for a bit o' that fortin' that you disco

e gang dispersed, and she has probably gone with them." He paused, and then laid three or four large gold pieces on the table. "It's for that old bill of our party, Collinson," he said. "I'll settle and collect from each. Some time when you come

relessness, as he gathered up the money, "'cept those boys from

scious host, and said nothing. After a pause he returned in a lighter tone: "I suppose you are rather out of the world here. Indeed, I had an idea at first of buying out your mill, Collinson, and putting

suspicion in his companion's face, he added gravely, "You see, I rigged up the whole thing

ld us, by the way, HOW you ever came to put up a

y; it was a full-fed stream straight from th

quake!" re

you told us about the first day you kem here, and that you found

on ages ago, when this whole mountain range

ledge and felt as if I'd have to give a yell just to hear my own voice. Thar was a thin veil over everything, and betwixt and between everything, and the sun was rooted in the middle of it as if it couldn't move neither. Everythin' seemed to be waitin', waitin', waitin'. Then all of a suddin suthin' seemed to give somewhar! Suthin' fetched away with a queer sort of rumblin', as if the peg had slipped outer creation. I looked up and kalkilated to see half a dozen of them boulders come, lickity switch, down the grade. But, darn my skin, if one of 'em stirred! and yet while I was looking, the whol

it?" said Key, interested

I thought, for I knowed it. I knowed

d died about that time o' yaller fever in Texas with the party she was comin' with. Her folks wrote that they died like flies, and wuz all buried tog

" said Key quickly, forgetti

is head. "Then she'd have

his confidences with Collinson might have imperiled even the interests of the company. To atone for this momentary aberration, and correct his dismal fancies, he resolved to attend to some business at Skinner's before returning, and branched off on a long detour that would intersect the traveled stage-road. But here a singular incident overtook him. As he wheeled into the turnpike, he heard the trampling hoof-beats and jingling harness of the oncomi

dy narrowing in the distance, without a second thought he dashed after it. His disappointment, his self-criticism, his practical reso

that the next station was the one three miles below Skinner's. It would not be difficult to reach this by a

id eyes. The pupils concentrated upon him with a singular significance, that was almost, he even thought, a reply to his glance, and yet it was as utterly unintelligible. A moment later, however, it was explained. He had fallen slightly behind in a new confusion of hesitation, wonder, and embarrassment, when from a wooded trail to the right, another horseman suddenly swept into the road before him. He was a powerfully built man, mounted on a thoroughbred horse of a quality far superior to the ordinary roadster. Without looking at Key he easily ranged up beside the coach as if to pass it, but Key, with a sudden resolution, put spurs to his own horse and ranged also abreast of him, in time to see his fair unknown start at the apparition of this second horseman and unmistakably convey some signal to him,-a signal that to Key's fancy now betrayed some warning of himself. He was the more convinced as the stranger, after continuing a few paces ahead of the coach, allowed it to pass him at a curve of t

venture as a practical pursuit in the interests of law and justice. It was true that it was said that the band of road agents had been dispersed; it was a fact that there had been no spoliation of coach or teams for three weeks; but none of the depredators had ever been caught, and their booty, which was considerable, was known to be still intact. It was to the interest of the mine, his partners, and his workmen that this clue to a danger which threatened the locality should be followe

ung the coach as it drew up at the lonely wayside station. He was in time, for he knew that the horses were changed there; but a sudden fear that the fair unknown might alight, or take some other conveyance, m

he seemed to take no more notice of him, and Key began to wonder if he had not mistaken her previous interrogating look. Nor was it his only disturbing query; he was conscious of the same disappointment now that he could examine her face more attentively, as in his first cursory glance. She was certainly handsome; if there was no longer the freshness of youth, there was still the indefinable c

de her uttered a sigh of relief, so palpable as to attract the general attention. Turning to

feel ezactly safe from these yer road agents and stage robbers ontil arter we pass Skinner's station. All along thet Galloper's Ridge it's jest tech and go like; the woods is swarmin' with 'em

d on the faces of the other passengers, seemed to disturb the lady's abstr

wer sole,-and it's mighty tight packing for my feet. Ye kin heft it," he said, as he removed one boot and held it up before them. "I put the dust there for safety-kalkilatin' that while th

oad agents do, after they've covered the driver with their shot guns, is to make the passengers get out and hold up their hands. That, ma'am,"-explanatorily to the lady, who betrayed only a languid interest,-"is to keep 'em from drawing their revolvers. A revolver is the last thing a road agent wants, either in a man's hand or in his holster. So I sez to myself, 'Ef a si

e passengers. Other methods of securing their property were freely discussed; but the excitement culminated in the leaning forward of a passenger who had, up to that moment

led myself of a well-known rule of the robbers who infest these mountains, to exempt all women and children from their spoliation,-a rule which, of course, they perfectly understand gives them a sentimental consideration with all Californians,-but I have, I confess, also availed myself of the innocent kindness of one of that charming and justly exempted sex." He paused and bowed courteously to the fair unknown. "When I entered this coach I had with me a bulky parcel which was manifestly too large for my pockets, yet as evidently too small and too valuable to be intruste

d, the actual accomplice of the road agents calmly receiving the complacent and puerile confessions of the men who were seeking to outwit them. Could he, in ordinary justice to them, to himself, or the mission he conceived he was pursuing, refrain from exposing her, or warning them privately? But was

ly, reaching down to draw her satchel from unde

me to still remain your debtor,-at least as far

cheeks beginning to burn with the embarrassment and shame of his evident misconception. And here he was on his way to Mary

d agents," said the professional man, turning to the

y're all masked, and onl

ader or

the o

ted the professiona

din' anything he jest scalps him with his tongue, and blamed if I don't think he likes the chance of doin' it. He's got a regular set speech, and he's bound to go through it all, even if he makes everything wait, and runs the risk of ca

or he'll find himself quite mistaken as to his share of responsibility. B

d of hidin'-place in the woods whar they met and kept their booty, and, by jinks! he goes down thar with his hull posse,-just spilin' for a fight,-and only lig

tigue and excitement of the day began to mercifully benumb his senses; twilight had fallen and the talk had ceased. The lady had allowed her book to drop in her lap as the darkness gathered, and had closed her eyes; he closed his own, and slipped away presently into a dream, in which he saw the profile again as he had seen it in the darkness of the hollow, only that this time it changed to a full face, unlike the lady's or any on

ch had