"I'm not so particular,"he returned laughingly,"but the silver in that hole was never touched,nor I dare say even imagined by mortal man before.However,there is something else about the hollow that I want to tell you.You remember the slipper that you picked up?""Yes."
"Well,I lied to you about that;I never dropped it.On the contrary,I had picked up the mate of it very near where you found yours,and I wanted to know to whom it belonged.For I don't mind telling you now,Collinson,that I believe there WAS a woman in that house,and the same woman whose face I saw at the window.You remember how the boys 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 over and compare notes.I think you said--at least,I gathered the idea from a remark of yours,"he added hastily,as he remembered that the suggestion was his own,and a satirical one--"that it reminded you of your wife's slipper.Of course,as your wife is dead,that would offer no clue,and can only be a chance resemblance,unless"--He stopped.
"Have you got 'em yet?"
"Yes,both."He took them from the pocket of his riding-jacket.
As Collinson received them,his face took upon itself an even graver expression."It's mighty cur'ous,"he said reflectively,"but 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 and lefts like other women,but kinder changed about;ye see,these shoes is reg'lar rights and lefts,but never was worn as sich!""There may be other women as peculiar,"suggested Key.
"There MUST be,"said Collinson quietly.
For an instant Key was touched with the manly security of the reply,for,remembering Uncle ****'s scandal,it had occurred to him that the unknown tenant of the robbers'den might be Collinson's wife.He was glad to be relieved on that point,and went on more confidently:--"So,you see,this woman was undoubtedly in that house on the night of the fire.She escaped,and in a mighty hurry too,for she had not time to change her slippers for shoes;she escaped on horseback,for that is how she lost them.Now what was she doing there with those rascals,for the face I saw looked as innocent as a saint's.""Seemed to ye sort o'contrairy,jist as I reckoned my wife's foot would have looked in a slipper that you said was GIV to ye,"suggested Collinson pointedly,but with no implication of reproach in his voice.
"Yes,"said Key impatiently.
"I've read yarns afore now about them Eyetalian brigands stealin'
women,"said Collinson reflectively,"but that ain't California road-agent style.Great Scott!if one even so much as spoke to a woman,they'd have been wiped outer the State long ago.No!the woman as WAS there came there to STAY!"As Key's face did not seem to express either assent or satisfaction at this last statement,Collinson,after a glance at it,went on with a somewhat gentler gravity:"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 discovered under the very spot where them slippers of hers had often trod.You're thinkin'that mebbee it might hev turned her and those men from their evil ways."Mr.Key had been thinking nothing of the kind,but for some obscure reason the skeptical jeer that had risen to his lips remained unsaid.He rose impatiently."Well,there seems to be no chance of discovering anything now;the house is burnt,the 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 over to the mine,and Ihope you'll give us a call,you can bring the horse.Meanwhile you can use him;you'll find he's a little quicker than the mule.How is business?"he added,with a perfunctory glance around the vacant room and dusty bar.
"Thar ain't much passin'this way,"said Collinson with equal carelessness,as he gathered up the money,"'cept those boys from the valley,and they're most always strapped when they come here."Key smiled as he observed that Collinson offered him no receipt,and,moreover,as he remembered that he had only Collinson's word for the destruction of Parker's draft.But he merely glanced at his unconscious 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 in steam power to get out timber for our new buildings,but you see you are so far away from the wagon-road,that we couldn't haul the timber away.That was the trouble,or I'd have made you a fair offer.""I don't reckon to ever sell the mill,"said Collinson simply.
Then observing the look of suspicion in his companion's face,he added gravely,"You see,I rigged up the whole thing when Iexpected my wife out from the States,and I calkilate to keep it in memory of her."Key slightly lifted his brows."But you never told us,by the way,HOW you ever came to put up a mill here with such an uncertain water-supply.""It wasn't onsartin when I came here,Mr.Key;it was a full-fed stream straight from them snow peaks.It was the earthquake did it.""The earthquake!"repeated Key.
"Yes.Ef the earthquake kin heave up that silver-bearing rock that you told us about the first day you kem here,and that you found t'other day,it could play roots with a mere mill-stream,Ireckon."
"But the convulsion I spoke of happened ages on ages ago,when this whole mountain range was being fashioned,"said Key with a laugh.