in a hollow of the hills-第21部分

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to　seek　herI　mean　that　I　could　give　to　her　brother。〃

〃Alas！　we　fear　she　is　already　far　away　from　here。　　If　she　went　at
once　to　San　Luis；　she　could　have　easily　taken　a　train　to　San
Francisco　before　we　discovered　her　flight。　　We　believe　that　it　was
the　poor　child's　intent　to　join　her　brother；　so　as　to　intercede　for
her　friendor；　perhaps；　alas！　to　seek　her。〃

〃And　this　friend　left　yesterday　morning？〃　he　said　quickly；　yet
concealing　a　feeling　of　relief。　　〃Well；　you　may　depend　on　me！　　And
now；　as　there　is　no　time　to　be　lost；　I　will　make　my　arrangements　to
take　the　next　train。〃　　He　held　out　his　hand；　paused；　and　said　in
almost　boyish　embarrassment：　〃Bid　me　God　speed；　Sister　Seraphina！〃

〃May　the　Holy　Virgin　aid　you；〃　she　said　gently。　　Yet；　as　she　passed
out　of　the　door；　with　a　grateful　smile；　a　characteristic　reaction
came　over　Key。　　His　romantic　belief　in　the　interposition　of
Providence　was　not　without　a　tendency　to　apply　the　ordinary　rules
of　human　evidence　to　such　phenomena。　　Sister　Seraphina's
application　to　him　seemed　little　short　of　miraculous　interference；
but　what　if　it　were　only　a　trick　to　get　rid　of　him；　while　the　girl；
whose　escapade　had　been　discovered；　was　either　under　restraint　in
the　convent；　or　hiding　in　Santa　Luisa？　　Yet　this　did　not　prevent
him　from　mechanically　continuing　his　arrangements　for　departure。
When　they　were　completed；　and　he　had　barely　time　to　get　to　the
station　at　San　Luis；　he　again　lingered　in　vague　expectation　of　some
determining　event。

The　appearance　of　a　servant　with　a　telegraphic　message　at　this
moment　seemed　to　be　an　answer　to　this　instinctive　feeling。　　He　tore
it　open　hastily。　　But　it　was　only　a　single　line　from　his　foreman　at
the　mine；　which　had　been　repeated　to　him　from　the　company's　office
in　San　Francisco。　　It　read；　〃Come　at　onceimportant。〃

Disappointed　as　it　left　him；　it　determined　his　action；　and　as　the
train　steamed　out　of　San　Luis；　it　for　a　while　diverted　his
attention　from　the　object　of　his　pursuit。　　In　any　event；　his
destination　would　have　been　Skinner's　or　the　Hollow；　as　the　point
from　which　to　begin　his　search。　　He　believed　with　Sister　Seraphina
that　the　young　girl　would　make　her　direct　appeal　to　her　brother；
but　even　if　she　sought　Mrs。　Barker；　it　would　still　be　at　some　of
the　haunts　of　the　gang。　　The　letter　to　the　Lady　Superior　had　been
postmarked　from　〃Bald　Top；〃　which　Key　knew　to　be　an　obscure
settlement　less　frequented　than　Skinner's。　　Even　then　it　was　hardly
possible　that　the　chief　of　the　road　agents　would　present　himself　at
the　post…office；　and　it　had　probably　been　left　by　some　less　known
of　the　gang。　　A　vague　idea；　that　was　hardly　a　suspicion；　that　the
girl　might　have　a　secret　address　of　her　brother's；　without
understanding　the　reasons　for　its　secrecy；　came　into　his　mind。　　A
still　more　vague　hope；　that　he　might　meet　her　before　she　found　her
brother；　upheld　him。　　It　would　be　an　accidental　meeting　on　her
part；　for　he　no　longer　dared　to　hope　that　she　would　seek　or　trust
him　again。　　And　it　was　with　very　little　of　his　old　sanguine　quality
that；　travel…worn　and　weary；　he　at　last　alighted　at　Skinner's。　　But
his　half　careless　inquiry　if　any　lady　passengers　had　lately　arrived
there；　to　his　embarrassment　produced　a　broad　smile　on　the　face　of
Skinner。

〃You're　the　second　man　that　asked　that　question；　Mr。　Key；〃　he　said。

〃The　second　man？〃　ejaculated　Key　nervously。

〃Yes　the　first　was　the　sheriff　of　Sierra。　　He　wanted　to　find　a
tall；　good…looking　woman；　about　thirty；　with　black　eyes。　　I　hope
that　ain't　the　kind　o'　girl　you're　looking　arteris　it？　for　I
reckon　she's　gin　you　both　the　slip。〃

Key　protested　with　a　forced　laugh　that　it　was　not；　yet　suddenly
hesitated　to　describe　Alice；　for　he　instantly　recognized　the
portrait　of　her　friend；　the　assumed　Mrs。　Barker。　　Skinner　continued
in　lazy　confidence：

〃Ye　see　they　say　that　the　sheriff　had　sorter　got　the　dead　wood　on
that　gang　o'　road　agents；　and　had　hemmed　'em　in　somewhar　betwixt
Bald　Top　and　Collinson's。　　But　that　woman　was　one　o'　their　spies；
and　spotted　his　little　game；　and　managed　to　give　'em　the　tip；　so
they　got　clean　away。　　Anyhow；　they　ain't　bin　heard　from　since。　　But
the　big　shake　has　made　scoutin'　along　the　ledges　rather　stiff　work
for　the　sheriff。　　They　say　the　valley　near　Long　Canyon's　chock　full
o'　rock　and　slumgullion　that's　slipped　down。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　the　big　shake？〃　asked　Key　in　surprise。

〃Great　Scott！　you　didn't　hear　of　it？　　Didn't　hear　of　the　'arthquake
that　shook　us　up　all　along　Galloper's　the　other　night？　　Well；〃　he
added　disgustedly；　〃that's　jist　the　conceit　of　them　folks　in　the
bay；　that　can't　allow　that　ANYTHIN'　happens　in　the　mountains！〃

The　urgent　telegrams　of　his　foreman　now　flashed　across　Key's
preoccupied　mind。　　Possibly　Skinner　saw　his　concern；　〃I　reckon　your
mine　is　all　right；　Mr。　Key。　　One　of　your　men　was　over　yere　last
night；　and　didn't　say　nothin'。〃

But　this　did　not　satisfy　Key；　and　in　a　few　minutes　he　had　mounted
his　horse　and　was　speeding　towards　the　Hollow；　with　a　remorseful
consciousness　of　having　neglected　his　colleagues'　interests。　　For
himself；　in　the　utter　prepossession　of　his　passion　for　Alice；　he
cared　nothing。　　As　he　dashed　down　the　slope　to　the　Hollow；　he
thought　only　of　the　two　momentous　days　that　she　had　passed　there；
and　the　fate　that　had　brought　them　so　nearly　together。　　There　was
nothing　to　recall　its　sylvan　beauty　in　the　hideous　works　that　now
possessed　it；　or　the　substantial　dwelling…house　that　had　taken　the
place　of　the　old　cabin。　　A　few　hurried　questions　to　the　foreman
satisfied　him　of　the　integrity　of　the　property。　　There　had　been
some　alarm　in　the　shaft；　but　there　was　no　subsidence　of　the　〃seam；〃
nor　any　difficulty　in　the　working。　　〃What　I　telegraphed　you　for；
Mr。　Key；　was　about　something　that　has　cropped　up　way　back　o'　the
earthquake。　　We　were　served　here　the　other　day　with　a　legal　notice
of　a　claim　to　the　mine；　on　account　of　previous　work　done　on　the
ledge　by　the　last　occupant。〃

〃But　the　cabin　was　built　by　a　gang　of　thieves；　who　used　it　as　a
hoard　for　their　booty；〃　returned　Key　hotly；　〃and　every　one　of　them
are　outlaws；　and　have　no　standing　before　the　law。〃　　He　stopped　with
a　pang　as　he　thought　of　Alice。　　And　the　blood　rushed　to　his　cheeks
as　the　foreman　quietly　continued：

〃But　the　claim　ain't　in　any　o'　their　names。　　It's　allowed　to　be　the
gift　of　their　leader　to　his　young　sister；　afore　the　outlawry；　and
it's　in　HER　nameAlice　Riggs　or　something。〃

Of　the　half…dozen　tumultuous　thoughts　that　passed　through　Key's
mind；　only　one　remained。　　It　was　purely　an　act　of　the　brother's　to
secure　some　possible　future　benefit　for　his　sister。　　And　of　this
she　was　perfectly　ignorant！　　He　recovered　himself　quickly；　and　said
with　a　smile：

〃But　I　discovered　the　ledge　and　its　auriferous　character　myself。
There　was　no　trace　or　sign　of　previous　discovery　or　mining
occupation。〃

〃So　I　jedged；　and　so　I　said；　and　thet　puts　ye　all　right。　　But　I
thought　I'd　tell　ye；　for　mining　laws　is　mining　laws；　and　it's　the
one　thing　ye　can't　get　over；〃　he　added；　with　the　peculiar
superstitious　reverence　of　the　Californian　miner　for　that　vested
authority。

But　Key　scarcely　listened。　　All　that　he　had　heard　seemed　only　to
link　him　more　fatefully　and　indissolubly　with　the　young　girl。　　He
was　already　impatient　of　even　this　slight　delay　in　his　quest。　　In
his　perplexity　his　thoughts　had　reverted　to　Collinson's：　the　mill
was　a　good　point　to　begin　his　search　from；　its　good…natured；　stupid
proprietor　might　be　his　guide；　his　ally；　and　even　his　confidant。

When　his　horse　was　baited；　he　was　again　in　the　saddle。　　〃If　yer
going　Collinson's　way；　yer　might　ask　him　if　he's　lost　a　horse；〃
said　the　foreman。　　〃The　morning　after　the　shake；　some　of　the　boys
picked　up　a　mustang；　with　a　make…up　lady's　saddle　on。〃　　Key
started！　　While　it　was　impossible　that　it　could　have　been　ridden　by
Alice；　it　might　have　been　by　the　woman　who　had　preceded　her。

〃Did　you　make　any　search？〃　he　inquired　eagerly；　〃there　may　have
been　an　accident。〃

〃I　reckon　it　wasn't　no　accident；〃　returned　the　foreman　coolly；　〃for
the　riata　was　loose　and　trailing；　as　if　it　had　been　staked　out；　and
broken　away。〃

Without　another　word；　Key　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　away；
leaving　his　companion　staring　after　him。　　Here　was　a　clue：　the
horse　could　not　have　strayed　far；　the　broken　tether　indicated　a
camp；　the　gang　had　been　gathered　somewhere　in　the　vicinity　where
Mrs。　Barker　had　warned　them；perhaps　in　the　wood　beyond
Collinson's。　　He　would　penetrate　it　alone。　　He　knew　his　danger；　but
as　a　SINGLE　unarmed　man　he　might　be　admitted　to　the　presence　of　the
leader；　and　the　alleged　claim　was　a　sufficient　excuse。　　What　he
would　say　or　do　afterwards　depended　upon　chance。　　It　was　a　wild
schemebut　he　was　reckless。　　Yet　he　would　go　to　Collinson's　first。

At　the　end　of　two　hours　he　reached　the　thick…set　wood　that　gave
upon　the　shelf　at　the　top　of　the　grade　which　descended　to　the　mill。
As　he　emerged　from　the　wood　into　the　bursting　sunlight　of　the
valley　below；　he　sharply　reined　in　his　horse　and　stopped。　　Another
bound　would　have　been　his　last。　　For　the　shelf；　the　rocky　grade
itself；　the　ledge　below；　and　the　mill　upon　it；　were　all　gone！　　The
crumbling　outer　wall　of　the　rocky　grade　had　slipped　away　into
immeasurable　depths　below；　leaving　only　the　sharp　edge　of　a　cliff；
which　incurved　towards　the　woods　that　had　once　stood　behind　the
mill；　but　which　now　bristled　on　the　very　edge　of　a　precipice。　　A
mist　was　hanging　over　its　brink　and　rising　from　the　valley；　it　was
a　full…fed　stream　that　was　coursing　through　the　former　dry　bed　of
the　river　and　falling　down　the　face　of　the　bluff。　　He　rubbed　his
eyes；　dismounted；　crept　along　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　and　looked
below：　whatever　had　subsided　and　melted　down　into　its　thousand　feet
of　depth；　there　was　no　trace　left　upon　its　smooth　face。　　Scarcely
an　angle　of　drift　or　debris　marred　the　perpendicular；　the　burial　of
all　ruin　was　deep　and　compact；　the　erasure　had　been　swift　and　sure
the　obliteration　complete。　　It　might　have　been　the　precipitation
of　ages；　and　not　of　a　single　night。　　At　that　remote　distance　it
even　seemed　as　if　grass　were　already　growing　ever　this　enormous
se