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ye turn off the trail and make for the burning woods instead o' goin' round。
I sez to myself； 'That fellow is making straight for Skinner's。 He's sorter
worried about me and that empty pork bar'l；'I hadn't oughter spoke that
away afore you boys； anyhow； 'and he's takin' risks to help me。' So I
reckoned I'd throw my leg over Jenny here； and look arter yeand go over
to Skinner's myselfand vote。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Key with cheerful alacrity； and the one thought of
getting Collinson away； 〃we'll go together； and we'll see that that pork
barrel is filled！〃 He glowed quite honestly with this sudden idea of
remembering Collinson through his good fortune。 〃Let's get on quickly；
for we may find the fire between us on the outer trail。〃 He hastily
mounted his horse。
〃Then you didn't take this as a short cut；〃 said Collinson； with dull
perseverance in his idea。 〃Why not？ It looks all clear ahead。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Key hurriedly； 〃but it's been only a leap of the fire； it's still
raging round the bend。 We must go back to the cross… trail。〃 His face
was still flushing with his very equivocating； and his anxiety to get his
companion away。 Only a few steps further might bring Collinson before
the ruins and the 〃Notice；〃 and that discovery must not be made by him
until Key's plans were perfected。 A sudden aversion to the man he had a
moment before wished to reward began to take possession of him。
〃Come on；〃 he added almost roughly。
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But to his surprise； Collinson yielded with his usual grim patience； and
even a slight look of sympathy with his friend's annoyance。 〃I reckon
you're right； and mebbee you're in a hurry to get to Skinner's all along o'
MY business； I oughtn't hev told you boys what I did。〃 As they rode
rapidly away he took occasion to add； when Key had reined in slightly；
with a feeling of relief at being out of the hollow； 〃I was thinkin'； too； of
what you'd asked about any one livin' here unbeknownst to me。〃
〃Well；〃 said Key； with a new nervousness。
〃Well； I only had an idea o' proposin' that you and me just took a look
around that holler whar you thought you saw suthin'！〃 said Collinson
tentatively。
〃Nonsense；〃 said Key hurriedly。 〃We really saw nothingit was all a
fancy； and Uncle Dick was joking me because I said I thought I saw a
woman's face；〃 he added with a forced laugh。
Collinson glanced at him； half sadly。 〃Oh！ You were only funnin'；
then。 I oughter guessed that。 I oughter have knowed it from Uncle
Dick's talk！〃 They rode for some moments in silence； Key preoccupied
and feverish； and eager only to reach Skinner's。 Skinner was not only
postmaster but 〃registrar〃 of the district； and the new discoverer did not
feel entirely safe until he had put his formal notification and claims 〃on
record。〃 This was no publication of his actual secret； nor any indication
of success； but was only a record that would in all probability remain
unnoticed and unchallenged amidst the many other hopeful dreams of
sanguine prospectors。 But he was suddenly startled from his
preoccupation。
〃Ye said ye war straightenin' up yer pack just now；〃 said Collinson
slowly。
〃Yes！〃 said Key almost angrily； 〃and I was。〃
〃Ye didn't stop to straighten it up down at the forks of the trail； did
ye？〃
〃I may have；〃 said Key nervously。 〃But why？〃
〃Ye won't mind my axin' ye another question； will ye？ Ye ain't
carryin' round with ye no woman's shoe？〃
Key felt the blood drop from his cheeks。 〃What do you mean？〃 he
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stammered； scarcely daring to lift his conscious eyelids to his companion's
glance。 But when he did so he was amazed to find that Collinson's face
was almost as much disturbed as his own。
〃I know it ain't the square thing to ask ye； but this is how it is；〃 said
Collinson hesitatingly。 〃Ye see just down by the fork of the trail where
you came I picked up a woman's shoe。 It sorter got me！ For I sez to
myself； 'Thar ain't no one bin by my shanty； comin' or goin'； for weeks but
you boys； and that shoe； from the looks of it； ain't bin there as many
hours。' I knew there wasn't any wimin hereabouts。 I reckoned it
couldn't hev bin dropped by Uncle Dick or that other man； for you would
have seen it on the road。 So I allowed it might have bin YOU。 And yer
it is。〃 He slowly drew from his pocketwhat Key was fully prepared to
see the mate of the slipper Key had in his saddle…bags！ The fair
fugitive had evidently lost them both。
But Key was better prepared now （perhaps this kind of dissimulation is
progressive）； and quickly alive to the necessity of throwing Collinson off
this unexpected scent。 And his companion's own suggestion was right to
his hand； and； as it seemed； again quite providential！ He laughed； with a
quick color； which； however； appeared to help his lie； as he replied half
hysterically； 〃You're right； old man； I own up； it's mine！ It's dd silly； I
knowbut then； we're all fools where women are concernedand I
wouldn't have lost that slipper for a mint of money。〃
He held out his hand gayly； but Collinson retained the slipper while he
gravely examined it。 〃You wouldn't mind telling me where you mought
hev got that？〃 he said meditatively。
〃Of course I should mind；〃 said Key with a well…affected mingling of
mirth and indignation。 〃What are you thinking of； you old rascal？
What do you take me for？〃 But Collinson did not laugh。 〃You wouldn't
mind givin' me the size and shape and general heft of her as wore that
shoe？〃
〃Most decidedly I should do nothing of the kind！〃 said Key half
impatiently。 〃Enough； that it was given to me by a very pretty girl。
There！ that's all you will know。〃
〃GIVEN to you？〃 said Collinson； lifting his eyes。
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〃Yes；〃 returned Key sharply。
Collinson handed him the slipper gravely。 〃I only asked you；〃 he said
slowly； but with a certain quiet dignity which Key had never before seen
in his face； 〃because thar was suthin' about the size； and shape； and fillin'
out o' that shoe that kinder reminded me of some 'un； but that some 'un
her as mought hev stood up in that shoeain't o' that kind as would ever
stand in the shoes of her as YOU know at all。〃 The rebuke； if such were
intended； lay quite as much in the utter ignoring of Key's airy gallantry
and levity as in any conscious slur upon the fair fame of his invented
Dulcinea。 Yet Key oddly felt a strong inclination to