in a hollow of the hills-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


secret；partly　because　he　wished　to　avoid　the　jesting　remarks　of
his　companions；　but　particularly　because　he　wished　to　go　alone；
from　a　very　singular　impression　that　although　they　had　witnessed
the　incident　he　had　really　seen　more　than　they　did。　　To　this　was
also　added　the　haunting　fear　he　had　felt　during　the　night　that　this
mysterious　habitation　and　its　occupants　were　in　the　track　of　the
conflagration。　　He　had　not　dared　to　dwell　upon　it　openly　on　account
of　Uncle　Dick's　evident　responsibility　for　the　origin　of　the　fire；
he　appeased　his　conscience　with　the　reflection　that　the　inmates　of
the　dwelling　no　doubt　had　ample　warning　in　time　to　escape。　　But
still；　he　and　his　companions　ought　to　have　stopped　to　help　them；
and　thenbut　here　he　paused；　conscious　of　another　reason　he　could
scarcely　voice　then；　or　even　now。　　Preble　Key　had　not　passed　the
age　of　romance；　but　like　other　romancists　he　thought　he　had　evaded
it　by　treating　it　practically。

Meantime　he　had　reached　the　fork　where　the　trail　diverged　to　the
right；　and　he　must　take　that　direction　if　he　wished　to　make　a
detour　of　the　burning　woods　to　reach　Skinner's。　　His　momentary
indecision　communicated　itself　to　his　horse；　who　halted。　　Recalled
to　himself；　he　looked　down　mechanically；　when　his　attention　was
attracted　by　an　unfamiliar　object　lying　in　the　dust　of　the　trail。
It　was　a　small　slipperso　small　that　at　first　he　thought　it　must
have　belonged　to　some　child。　　He　dismounted　and　picked　it　up。　　It
was　worn　and　shaped　to　the　foot。　　It　could　not　have　lain　there
long；　for　it　was　not　filled　nor　discolored　by　the　wind…blown　dust
of　the　trail；　as　all　other　adjacent　objects　were。　　If　it　had　been
dropped　by　a　passing　traveler；　that　traveler　must　have　passed
Collinson's；　going　or　coming；　within　the　last　twelve　hours。　　It　was
scarcely　possible　that　the　shoe　could　have　dropped　from　the　foot
without　the　wearer's　knowing　it；　and　it　must　have　been　dropped　in
an　urgent　flight；　or　it　would　have　been　recovered。　　Thus
practically　Key　treated　his　romance。　　And　having　done　so；　he
instantly　wheeled　his　horse　and　plunged　into　the　road　in　the
direction　of　the　fire。

But　he　was　surprised　after　twenty　minutes'　riding　to　find　that　the
course　of　the　fire　had　evidently　changed。　　It　was　growing　clearer
before　him；　the　dry　heat　seemed　to　come　more　from　the　right；　in　the
direction　of　the　detour　he　should　have　taken　to　Skinner's。　　This
seemed　almost　providential；　and　in　keeping　with　his　practical
treatment　of　his　romance；　as　was　also　the　fact　that　in　all
probability　the　fire　had　not　yet　visited　the　little　hollow　which　he
intended　to　explore。　　He　knew　he　was　nearing　it　now；　the　locality
had　been　strongly　impressed　upon　him　even　in　the　darkness　of　the
previous　evening。　　He　had　passed　the　rocky　ledge；　his　horse's　hoofs
no　longer　rang　out　clearly；　slowly　and　perceptibly　they　grew
deadened　in　the　springy　mosses；　and　were　finally　lost　in　the　netted
grasses　and　tangled　vines　that　indicated　the　vicinity　of　the
densely　wooded　hollow。　　Here　were　already　some　of　the　wider　spaced
vanguards　of　that　wood；　but　here；　too；　a　peculiar　circumstance
struck　him。　　He　was　already　descending　the　slight　declivity；　but
the　distance；　instead　of　deepening　in　leafy　shadow；　was　actually
growing　lighter。　　Here　were　the　outskirting　sentinels　of　the　wood
but　the　wood　itself　was　gone！　　He　spurred　his　horse　through　the
tall　arch　between　the　opened　columns；　and　pulled　up　in　amazement。

The　wood；　indeed；　was　gone；　and　the　whole　hollow　filled　with　the
already　black　and　dead　stumps　of　the　utterly　consumed　forest！　　More
than　that；　from　the　indications　before　him；　the　catastrophe　must
have　almost　immediately　followed　his　retreat　from　the　hollow　on　the
preceding　night。　　It　was　evident　that　the　fire　had　leaped　the
intervening　shoulder　of　the　spur　in　one　of　the　unaccountable；　but
by　no　means　rare；　phenomena　of　this　kind　of　disaster。　　The　circling
heights　around　were　yet　untouched；　only　the　hollow；　and　the　ledge
of　rock　against　which　they　had　blundered　with　their　horses　when
they　were　seeking　the　mysterious　window　in　last　evening's　darkness；
were　calcined　and　destroyed。　　He　dismounted　and　climbed　the　ledge；
still　warm　from　the　spent　fire。　　A　large　mass　of　grayish　outcrop
had　evidently　been　the　focus　of　the　furnace　blast　of　heat　which
must　have　raged　for　hours　in　this　spot。　　He　was　skirting　its
crumbling　debris　when　he　started　suddenly　at　a　discovery　which　made
everything　else　fade　into　utter　insignificance。　　Before　him；　in　a
slight　depression　formed　by　a　fault　or　lapse　in　the　upheaved
strata；　lay　the　charred　and　incinerated　remains　of　a　dwelling…house
leveled　to　the　earth！　　Originally　half　hidden　by　a　natural　abattis
of　growing　myrtle　and　ceanothus　which　covered　this　counter…scarp　of
rock　towards　the　trail；　it　must　have　stood　within　a　hundred　feet　of
them　during　their　halt！

Even　in　its　utter　and　complete　obliteration　by　the　furious　furnace
blast　that　had　swept　across　it；　there　was　still　to　be　seen　an
unmistakable　ground　plan　and　outline　of　a　four…roomed　house。　　While
everything　that　was　combustible　had　succumbed　to　that　intense　heat；
there　was　still　enough　half…fused　and　warped　metal；　fractured　iron
plate；　and　twisted　and　broken　bars　to　indicate　the　kitchen　and　tool
shed。　　Very　little　had；　evidently；　been　taken　away；　the　house　and
its　contents　were　consumed　where　they　stood。　　With　a　feeling　of
horror　and　desperation　Key　at　last　ventured　to　disturb　two　or　three
of　the　blackened　heaps　that　lay　before　him。　　But　they　were　only
vestiges　of　clothing；　bedding；　and　crockerythere　was　no　human
trace　that　he　could　detect。　　Nor　was　there　any　suggestion　of　the
original　condition　and　quality　of　the　house；　except　its　size：
whether　the　ordinary　unsightly　cabin　of　frontier　〃partners；〃　or
some　sylvan　cottagethere　was　nothing　left　but　the　usual　ignoble
and　unsavory　ruins　of　burnt…out　human　habitation。

And　yet　its　very　existence　was　a　mystery。　　It　had　been　unknown　at
Collinson's；　its　nearest　neighbor；　and　it　was　presumable　that　it
was　equally　unknown　at　Skinner's。　　Neither　he　nor　his　companions
had　detected　it　in　their　first　journey　by　day　through　the　hollow；
and　only　the　tell…tale　window　at　night　had　been　a　hint　of　what　was
even　then　so　successfully　concealed　that　they　could　not　discover　it
when　they　had　blundered　against　its　rock　foundation。　　For　concealed
it　certainly　was；　and　intentionally　so。　　But　for　what　purpose？

He　gave　his　romance　full　play　for　a　few　minutes　with　this　question。
Some　recluse；　preferring　the　absolute　simplicity　of　nature；　or
perhaps　wearied　with　the　artificialities　of　society；　had　secluded
himself　here　with　the　company　of　his　only　daughter。　　Proficient　as
a　pathfinder；　he　had　easily　discovered　some　other　way　of
provisioning　his　house　from　the　settlements　than　by　the　ordinary
trails　past　Collinson's　or　Skinner's；　which　would　have　betrayed　his
vicinity。　　But　recluses　are　not　usually　accompanied　by　young
daughters；　whose　relations　with　the　world；　not　being　as
antagonistic；　would　make　them　uncertain　companions。　　Why　not　a
wife？　　His　presumption　of　the　extreme　youth　of　the　face　he　had　seen
at　the　window　was　after　all　only　based　upon　the　slipper　he　had
found。　　And　if　a　wife；　whose　absolute　acceptance　of　such　confined
seclusion　might　be　equally　uncertain；　why　not　somebody　else's　wife？
Here　was　a　reason　for　concealment；　and　the　end　of　an　episode；　not
unknown　even　in　the　wilderness。　　And　here　was　the　work　of　the
Nemesis　who　had　overtaken　them　in　their　guilty　contentment！　　The
story；　even　to　its　moral；　was　complete。　　And　yet　it　did　not
entirely　satisfy　him；　so　superior　is　the　absolutely　unknown　to　the
most　elaborate　theory。

His　attention　had　been　once　or　twice　drawn　towards　the　crumbling
wall　of　outcrop；　which　during　the　conflagration　must　have　felt　the
full　force　of　the　fiery　blast　that　had　swept　through　the　hollow　and
spent　its　fury　upon　it。　　It　bore　evidence　of　the　intense　heat　in
cracked　fissures　and　the　crumbling　debris　that　lay　at　its　feet。
Key　picked　up　some　of　the　still　warm　fragments；　and　was　not
surprised　that　they　easily　broke　in　a　gritty；　grayish　powder　in　his
hands。　　In　spite　of　his　preoccupation　with　the　human　interest；　the
instinct　of　the　prospector　was　still　strong　upon　him；　and　he　almost
mechanically　put　some　of　the　pieces　in　his　pockets。　　Then　after
another　careful　survey　of　the　locality　for　any　further　record　of
its　vanished　tenants；　he　returned　to　his　horse。　　Here　he　took　from
his　saddle…bags；　half　listlessly；　a　precious　phial　encased　in　wood；
and；　opening　it；　poured　into　another　thick　glass　vessel　part　of　a
smoking　fluid；　he　then　crumbled　some　of　the　calcined　fragments　into
the　glass；　and　watched　the　ebullition　that　followed　with　mechanical
gravity。　　When　it　had　almost　ceased　he　drained　off　the　contents
into　another　glass；　which　he　set　down；　and　then　proceeded　to　pour
some　water　from　his　drinking…flask　into　the　ordinary　tin　cup　which
formed　part　of　his　culinary　traveling…kit。　　Into　this　he　put　three
or　four　pinches　of　salt　from　his　provision　store。　　Then　dipping　his
fingers　into　the　salt　and　water；　he　allowed　a　drop　to　fall　into　the
glass。　　A　white　cloud　instantly　gathered　in　the　colorless　fluid；
and　then　fell　in　a　fine　film　to　the　bottom　of　the　glass。　　Key's
eyes　concentrated　suddenly；　the　listless　look　left　his　face。　　His
fingers　trembled　lightly　as　he　again　let　the　salt　water　fall　into
the　solution；　with　exactly　the　same　result！　　Again　and　again　he
repeated　it；　until　the　bottom　of　the　glass　was　quite　gray　with　the
fallen　precipitate。　　And　his　own　face　grew　as　gray。

His　hand　trembled　no　longer　as　he　carefully　poured　off　the　solution
so　as　not　to　disturb　the　precipitate　at　the　bottom。　　Then　he　drew
out　his　knife；　scooped　a　little　of　the　gray　sediment　upon　its
point；　and　emptying　his　tin　cup；　turned　it　upside　down　upon　his
knee；　placed　the　sediment　upon　it；　and　began　to　spread　it　over　the
dull　surface　of　its　bottom　with　his　knife。　　He　had　intended　to　rub
it　briskly　with　his　knife　blade。　　But　in　the　very　action　of
spreading　it；　the　first　stroke　of　his　knife　left　upon　the　sediment
and　the　cup　the　luminous　streak　of　burnished　silver！

He　stood　up　and　drew　a　long　breath　to　still　the　beatings