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sound came nearer； he drew up beside a young spruce at the entrance of
the thicket。 There was no necessity to alarm the house； or call the other
sentry。 It was a single horse and rider； and he was equal to that。 He
waited quietly； and with his usual fateful patience。 Even then his
thoughts still reverted to his wife； and it was with a singular feeling that he；
at last； saw the thick underbrush give way before a woman； mounted on a
sweating but still spirited horse； who swept out into the open。
Nevertheless； he stopped in front of her； and called：
〃Hold up thar！〃
The horse recoiled； nearly unseating her。 Collinson caught the reins。
She lifted her whip mechanically； yet remained holding it in the air；
trembling； until she slipped； half struggling； half helplessly； from the
saddle to the ground。 Here she would have again fallen； but Collinson
caught her sharply by the waist。 At his touch she started and uttered a
frightened 〃No！〃 At her voice Collinson started。
〃Sadie！〃 he gasped。
〃Seth！〃 she half whispered。
They stood looking at each other。 But Collinson was already himself
again。 The man of simple directness and no imagination saw only his
wife before hima little breathless； a little flurried； a little disheveled from
rapid riding； as he had sometimes seen her before； but otherwise
unchanged。 Nor had HE changed； he took her up where he had left her
years ago。 His grave face only broadened into a smile； as he held both
her hands in his。
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〃Yes； it's meLordy！ Why； I was comin' only to…morrow to find ye；
Sade！〃
She glanced hurriedly around her； 〃Toto find me；〃 she said
incredulously。
〃Sartain！ That ez； I was goin' to ask about ye；goin' to ask about ye
at the convent。〃
〃At the convent？〃 she echoed with a frightened amazement。
〃Yes； why； Lordy Sadedon't you see？ You thought I was dead； and I
thought you was dead；that's what's the matter。 But I never reckoned
that you'd think me dead until Chivers allowed that it must be so。〃
Her face whitened in the moonlight 〃Chivers？〃 she said blankly。
〃In course； but nat'rally you don't know him； honey。 He only saw
you onc't。 But it was along o' that； Sade； that he told me he reckoned you
wasn't dead； and told me how to find you。 He was mighty kind and
consarned about it； and he even allowed I'd better slip off to you this very
night。〃
〃Chivers；〃 she repeated； gazing at her husband with bloodless lips。
〃Yes； an awful purty…spoken man。 Ye'll have to get to know him
Sade。 He's here with some of his folks az hez got inter trouble I'm
forgettin' to tell ye。 You see〃
〃Yes； yes； yes！〃 she interrupted hysterically； 〃and this is the Mill？〃
〃Yes； lovey； the Millmy millYOUR millthe house I built for you；
dear。 I'd show it to you now； but you see； Sade； I'm out here standin'
guard。〃
〃Are YOU one of them？〃 she said； clutching his hand desperately。
〃No； dear；〃 he said soothingly；〃no； only； you see； I giv' my word to
'em as I giv' my house to…night； and I'm bound to protect them and see 'em
through。 Why； Lordy！ Sade； you'd have done the same for Chivers。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 she said； beating her hands together strangely； 〃of course。
He was so kind to bring me back to you。 And you might have never
found me but for him。〃
She burst into an hysterical laugh； which the simple…minded man
might have overlooked but for the tears that coursed down her bloodless
face。
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〃What's gone o' ye； Sadie；〃 he said in a sudden fear； grasping her
hands； 〃that laugh ain't your'nthat voice ain't your'n。 You're the old
Sadie； ain't ye？〃 He stopped。 For a moment his face blanched as he
glanced towards the mill； from which the faint sound of bacchanalian
voices came to his quick ear。 〃Sadie； dear； ye ain't thinkin' anything agin'
me？ Ye ain't allowin' I'm keeping anythin' back from ye？〃
Her face stiffened into rigidity； she dashed the tears from her eyes。
〃No；〃 she said quickly。 Then after a moment she added； with a faint
laugh； 〃You see we haven't seen each other for so long it's all so sudden
so unexpected。〃
〃But you kem here； just now； calkilatin' to find me？〃 said Collinson
gravely。
〃Yes； yes；〃 she said quickly； still grasping both his hands； but with her
head slightly turned in the direction of the mill。
〃But who told ye where to find the mill？〃 he said； with gentle patience。
〃A friend；〃 she said hurriedly。 〃Perhaps；〃 she added； with a singular
smile； 〃a friend of the friend who told you。〃
〃I see；〃 said Collinson； with a relieved face and a broadening smile；
〃it's a sort of fairy story。 I'll bet； now； it was that old Barker woman that
Chivers knows。〃
Her teeth gleamed rigidly together in the moonlight； like a death's…
head。 〃Yes；〃 she said dryly； 〃it was that old Barker woman。 Say； Seth；〃
she continued； moistening her lips slowly； 〃you're guarding this place
alone？〃
〃Thar's another feller up the trail；a sentry；but don't you be afeard；
he can't hear us； Sade。〃
〃On this side of the mill？〃
〃Yes！ Why； Lord love ye； Sadie！ t'other side o' the mill it drops down
straight to the valley； nobody comes yer that way but poor low…down
emigrants。 And it's miles round to come by the valley from the summit。〃
〃You didn't hear your friend Chivers say that the sheriff was out with
his posse to…night hunting them？〃
〃No。 Did you？〃
〃I think I heard something of that kind at Skinner's； but it may have
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been only a warning to me； traveling alone。〃
〃Thet's so；〃 said Collinson； with a tender solicitude； 〃but none o' these
yer road…agents would have teched a woman。 And this yer Chivers ain't
the man to insult one； either。〃
〃No；〃 she said； with a return of her hysteric laugh。 But it was
overlooked by Collinson； who was taking his gun from beside the tree
where he had placed it； 〃Where are you going？〃 she said suddenly。
〃I reckon them fellers ought to be warned o' what you heard。 I'll be
back in a minit。〃
〃And you're going to leave me nowwhenwhen we've only just met
after these years；〃 she said； with a faint attempt at a smile； which； however；
did not reach the cold glitter of her eyes。
〃Just for a little； honey。 Besides； don't you see； I've got to get
excused； for we'll have to go off to Skinner's or somewhere； Sadie； for we
can't stay in thar along o' them。〃
〃So you and your wife are turned out of your home to please Chivers；〃
she said； still smiling。
〃That's whar you slip up； Sadie；〃 said Collinson； with a troubled face；
〃for he's that